Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Story of a Country Town
The Story of a Country Town

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of The Story of a Country Town is here in full — 57 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Story of a Country Town
Context Illustration Reading 1/11 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I AM SURPRISED.
Matters were going from bad to worse at Fairview.
My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.
As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.
I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Story of a Country Town

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of The Story of a Country Town is here in full — 57 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/11 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I AM SURPRISED.
/aɪ æm sərˈpraɪzd/
Line 2
Matters were going from bad to worse at Fairview.
Line 3
My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.
/maɪ ˈfɑːðər hæd bɪn əˈweɪ tuː ðə ˈkʌntri taʊn ə wiːk ənd hæd nɑːt jet rɪˈtɜːrnd/
Line 4
As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.
Line 5
I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

attendance noun US /əˈtendəns/

the act of being present (at a meeting or event etc.)

From this reading “As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.”

Barker noun US /ˈbɑːrkər/

someone who stands in front of a show (as at a carnival) and gives a loud colorful sales talk to potential customers

From this reading “I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.”

Bragg noun US /bræɡ/

Confederate general during the American Civil War who was defeated by Grant in the battle of Chattanooga (1817-1876)

From this reading “I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.”

Clinton noun US /ˈklɪntən/

wife of President Clinton and later a woman member of the United States Senate (1947-)

From this reading “I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.”

entertaining adjective US /ˌentərˈteɪnɪŋ/

agreeably diverting

From this reading “I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.”

incidents noun US /ˈɪnsədənts/

plural of “incident” — a single distinct event

From this reading “I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.”

inventing verb US /ˌɪnˈventɪŋ/

-ing form of “invent” — come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort

From this reading “I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.”

sleepy adjective US /ˈsliːpi/

ready to fall asleep

From this reading “As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

until midnight preposition + noun

In this reading “As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.”

go away verb + particle

move away from a place into another direction

In this reading “As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.”

come home verb + noun

become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions

In this reading “As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.”

country town noun + noun

In this reading “My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.”

knew about verb + particle counted as “know about”

In this reading “I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.”

All words in this reading · 99

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

Agnes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

AMauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading I AM SURPRISED.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Matters were going from bad to worse at Fairview.

attendancenounUS /əˈtendəns/

the act of being present (at a meeting or event etc.)

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

badadjectiveUS /bæd/

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading Matters were going from bad to worse at Fairview.

BarkernounUS /ˈbɑːrkər/

someone who stands in front of a show (as at a carnival) and gives a loud colorful sales talk to potential customers

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

BraggnounUS /bræɡ/

Confederate general during the American Civil War who was defeated by Grant in the battle of Chattanooga (1817-1876)

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

ClintonnounUS /ˈklɪntən/

wife of President Clinton and later a woman member of the United States Senate (1947-)

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

companynounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

deniedverbUS /dɪˈnaɪd/

inflected form of “deny” — declare untrue; contradict

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

enjoyingverbUS /ˌenˈdʒɔɪɪŋ/

-ing form of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

entertainingadjectiveUS /ˌentərˈteɪnɪŋ/

agreeably diverting

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

Fairview

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Matters were going from bad to worse at Fairview.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

flagnounUS /flæɡ/

emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Matters were going from bad to worse at Fairview.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading Matters were going from bad to worse at Fairview.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

holidaynounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪ/

leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I AM SURPRISED.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

incidentsnounUS /ˈɪnsədənts/

plural of “incident” — a single distinct event

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

inventingverbUS /ˌɪnˈventɪŋ/

-ing form of “invent” — come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

Jo

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

managedverbUS /ˈmænədʒd/

past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

Mateel

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

MattersnounUS /ˈmætərz/

plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern

From this reading Matters were going from bad to worse at Fairview.

midnightnounUS /ˈmɪdnaɪt/

12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

pleasurenounUS /ˈpleʒər/

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

quietlyadverbUS /ˈkwaɪətli/

with low volume

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

remainedverbUS /rɪˈmeɪnd/

past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

schoolnounUS /skuːl/

an educational institution

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

sisternounUS /ˈsɪstər/

a female person who has the same parents as another person

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

sleepyadjectiveUS /ˈsliːpi/

ready to fall asleep

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

summernounUS /ˈsʌmər/

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

SURPRISEDadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzd/

taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment

From this reading I AM SURPRISED.

talkingnounUS /ˈtɔːkɪŋ/

an exchange of ideas via conversation

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

threatenedadjectiveUS /ˈθretənd/

(of flora or fauna) likely in the near future to become endangered

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Matters were going from bad to worse at Fairview.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

usuallyadverbUS /ˈjuːʒəwəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Matters were going from bad to worse at Fairview.

wheneverconjunctionUS /weˈnevər/

at any time that; every time that

From this reading I told them all I knew about Jo, Mateel, Barker, his strange sister, and Clinton Bragg, inventing incidents whenever the interest threatened to flag, and Agnes was always entertaining, so that we were very happy during that week.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading As the attendance on the summer school was small, Agnes managed to come home very early, and go away very late, so that we were like three happy children having a holiday, for my mother remained up with us until midnight, if we did not get sleepy before that time, talking very little, but quietly enjoying our company, as though it was a pleasure usually denied her.

worseadjectiveUS /wɜːrs/

(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability

From this reading Matters were going from bad to worse at Fairview.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading My father had been away to the country town a week, and had not yet returned.

Chapter 14 of The Story of a Country Town by E. W. (Edgar Watson) Howe holds 57 sentences, grouped into 12 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 14 of The Story of a Country Town contain?

Chapter 14 holds 57 sentences of The Story of a Country Town, unabridged, divided into 12 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of The Story of a Country Town by E. W. (Edgar Watson) Howe exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 57 sentences, grouped into 12 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 14 of The Story of a Country Town?

Work through the 12 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 12 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The Story of a Country Town

Common questions about reading The Story of a Country Town by E. W. (Edgar Watson) Howe on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Story of a Country Town?

Yes. All 4100 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #47575 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Story of a Country Town is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #47575, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Story of a Country Town take to read?

About 341 minutes of reading across 820 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Story of a Country Town section by section

How to work through The Story of a Country Town section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 36 chapters of The Story of a Country Town to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Story of a Country Town

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Story of a Country Town, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Story
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of a Country Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Country
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of a Country Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of a Country Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Moonlight
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of a Country Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.