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The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story
The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story is here in full — 165 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story
Context Illustration Reading 1/33 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.
For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.
"Send Warning ride long way.
Get very hungry.
Come.
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 Talking Leaves: An Indian Story

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story is here in full — 165 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/33 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.
Line 2
For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.
Line 3
"Send Warning ride long way.
/send ˈwɔːrnɪŋ raɪd lɔːŋ weɪ/
Line 4
Get very hungry.
/ɡet ˈveri ˈhʌŋɡri/
Line 5
Come.
/kʌm/

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.

Bears noun US /berz/

plural of “bear” — massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws

From this reading “As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.”

broiling noun US /ˈbrɔɪlɪŋ/

cooking by direct exposure to radiant heat (as over a fire or under a grill)

From this reading “For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.”

chiefs noun US /tʃiːfs/

plural of “chief” — a person who is in charge

From this reading “As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.”

coals noun US /koʊlz/

plural of “coal” — fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the Carboniferous period

From this reading “For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.”

Murray noun US /ˈmɜːri/

British classical scholar (born in Australia) who advocated the League of Nations and the United Nations (1866-1957)

From this reading “As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.”

odor noun US /ˈoʊdər/

any property detected by the olfactory system

From this reading “For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.”

Warning noun US /ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/

a message informing of danger

From this reading “"Send Warning ride long way.”

Wolf noun US /wʊlf/

any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs

From this reading “As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.”

All words in this reading · 56

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 For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

affairsnounUS /əˈferz/

matters of personal concern

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

BearsnounUS /berz/

plural of “bear” — massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

broilingnounUS /ˈbrɔɪlɪŋ/

cooking by direct exposure to radiant heat (as over a fire or under a grill)

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

chiefsnounUS /tʃiːfs/

plural of “chief” — a person who is in charge

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

coalsnounUS /koʊlz/

plural of “coal” — fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the Carboniferous period

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

ComeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading Come.

councillors

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

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

decidedadjectiveUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd/

recognizable; marked

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

Dolores

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

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

expressionnounUS /ɪkˈspreʃən/

the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

faintadjectiveUS /feɪnt/

deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

GetverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Get very hungry.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

hungryadjectiveUS /ˈhʌŋɡri/

feeling hunger; feeling a need or desire to eat food

From this reading Get very hungry.

ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading "Send Warning ride long way.

ManyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

MothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

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

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

MurraynounUS /ˈmɜːri/

British classical scholar (born in Australia) who advocated the League of Nations and the United Nations (1866-1957)

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

odornounUS /ˈoʊdər/

any property detected by the olfactory system

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

RednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

rideverbUS /raɪd/

sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading "Send Warning ride long way.

SendverbUS /send/

cause to go somewhere

From this reading "Send Warning ride long way.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

Steve

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

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

suggestedverbUS /səˈdʒestɪd/

past form of “suggest” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Get very hungry.

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

WarningnounUS /ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/

a message informing of danger

From this reading "Send Warning ride long way.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading For himself, the first idea that called for expression was suggested by a faint odor of something broiling on the coals just in front of Mother Dolores.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading "Send Warning ride long way.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

WolfnounUS /wʊlf/

any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs

From this reading As Steve walked away with Red Wolf, Many Bears at once turned his attention to Murray and the great affairs to be decided by the chiefs and councillors.

Chapter 20 of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story by William O. Stoddard holds 165 sentences, grouped into 33 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 20 of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story contain?

Chapter 20 holds 165 sentences of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story, unabridged, divided into 33 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story by William O. Stoddard exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 165 sentences, grouped into 33 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 20 of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story?

Work through the 33 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 33 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 Talking Leaves: An Indian Story

Common questions about reading The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story by William O. Stoddard on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story?

Yes. All 4972 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21913 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #21913, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story take to read?

About 414 minutes of reading across 995 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story section by section

How to work through The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 29 chapters of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story 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 Talking Leaves: An Indian Story

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Murray
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Higher
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mountains
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
These
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Talking Leaves: An Indian Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.