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This Country of Ours
This Country of Ours

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of This Country of Ours is here in full — 124 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.
"Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.
They have been built for your good in the places where you go.
The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."
The Frenchman spoke truth.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

This Country of Ours

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of This Country of Ours is here in full — 124 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.
/duː juː nɑːt noʊ ðə ˈdɪfərəns bɪˈtwiːn ðə kɪŋ ʌv fræns ənd ðə kɪŋ ʌv ˈbrɪtən ə ˈfrentʃmæn wʌns æskt æn ˈɪndiən/
Line 2
"Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.
/ɡoʊ lʊk æt ðə fɔːrts wɪtʃ ˈaʊər kɪŋ hæz bɪlt juː wɪl siː ðæt juː kæn stɪl hʌnt ˈʌndər ðer ˈveri wɔːlz/
Line 3
They have been built for your good in the places where you go.
/ðeɪ hæv bɪn bɪlt fɔːr jɔːr ɡʊd ɪn ðə ˈpleɪsəz wer juː ɡoʊ/
Line 4
The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."
/ðə ˈbrɪtɪʃ ɑːn ðə ˈʌðər hænd ɑːr noʊ ˈsuːnər ɪn pəˈzeʃən ʌv ə pleɪs ðæn ðeɪ draɪv ðə ɡeɪm əˈweɪ ðə triːz fɔːl bɪˈfɔːr ðem ðə ɜːrθ ɪz leɪd ber soʊ ðæt juː kæn ˈskersli faɪnd ə fjuː ˈbræntʃəz wɪð wɪtʃ tuː meɪk ə ˈʃeltər fɔːr ðə naɪt/
Line 5
The Frenchman spoke truth.
/ðə ˈfrentʃmæn spoʊk truːθ/

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.

bare adjective US /ber/

completely unclothed

From this reading “The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."”

branches noun US /ˈbræntʃəz/

plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization

From this reading “The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."”

Britain noun US /ˈbrɪtən/

a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; “Great Britain” is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom

From this reading “"Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.”

British noun US /ˈbrɪtɪʃ/

the people of Great Britain

From this reading “The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."”

forts noun US /fɔːrts/

plural of “fort” — a fortified military post where troops are stationed

From this reading “"Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.”

Frenchman noun US /ˈfrentʃmæn/

a person of French nationality

From this reading “"Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.”

hunt verb US /hʌnt/

pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals)

From this reading “"Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.”

shelter noun US /ˈʃeltər/

a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger

From this reading “The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."”

All words in this reading · 78

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 "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

bareadjectiveUS /ber/

completely unclothed

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading They have been built for your good in the places where you go.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

branchesnounUS /ˈbræntʃəz/

plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

BritainnounUS /ˈbrɪtən/

a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; “Great Britain” is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

BritishnounUS /ˈbrɪtɪʃ/

the people of Great Britain

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

builtadjectiveUS /bɪlt/

(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

differencenounUS /ˈdɪfərəns/

the quality of being unlike or dissimilar

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

Doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

driveverbUS /draɪv/

operate or control a vehicle

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

fallverbUS /fɔːl/

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading They have been built for your good in the places where you go.

fortsnounUS /fɔːrts/

plural of “fort” — a fortified military post where troops are stationed

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

FrancenounUS /fræns/

a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

FrenchmannounUS /ˈfrentʃmæn/

a person of French nationality

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

gamenounUS /ɡeɪm/

a contest with rules to determine a winner

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

GoverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading They have been built for your good in the places where you go.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading They have been built for your good in the places where you go.

huntverbUS /hʌnt/

pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals)

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading They have been built for your good in the places where you go.

IndianadjectiveUS /ˈɪndiən/

of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

KingnounUS /kɪŋ/

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/

set down according to a plan

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

placesnounUS /ˈpleɪsəz/

plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading They have been built for your good in the places where you go.

possessionnounUS /pəˈzeʃən/

the act of having and controlling property

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

scarcelyadverbUS /ˈskersli/

only a very short time before

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

shelternounUS /ˈʃeltər/

a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

sooneradverbUS /ˈsuːnər/

comparatives of “soon” or “early”

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

spokenounUS /spoʊk/

support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim

From this reading The Frenchman spoke truth.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They have been built for your good in the places where you go.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

treesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

truthnounUS /truːθ/

a fact that has been verified

From this reading The Frenchman spoke truth.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

wallsnounUS /wɔːlz/

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading They have been built for your good in the places where you go.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading "Go, look at the forts which our King has built, you will see that you can still hunt under their very walls.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The British on the other hand are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the game away, the trees fall before them, the earth is laid bare, so that you can scarcely find a few branches with which to make a shelter for the night."

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Do you not know the difference between the King of France and the King of Britain?" a Frenchman once asked an Indian.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading They have been built for your good in the places where you go.

Chapter 21 of This Country of Ours by H. E. (Henrietta Elizabeth) Marshall holds 124 sentences, grouped into 25 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 21 of This Country of Ours contain?

Chapter 21 holds 124 sentences of This Country of Ours, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of This Country of Ours by H. E. (Henrietta Elizabeth) Marshall exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 124 sentences, grouped into 25 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 21 of This Country of Ours?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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 This Country of Ours

Common questions about reading This Country of Ours by H. E. (Henrietta Elizabeth) Marshall on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of This Country of Ours?

Yes. All 10029 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3761 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of This Country of Ours is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3761, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does This Country of Ours take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2006 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read This Country of Ours section by section

How to work through This Country of Ours section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of This Country of Ours 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 This Country of Ours

Words and structures a reader meets early in This Country of Ours, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Dwelt
A word that appears in the opening chapter of This Country of Ours; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Greenland
A word that appears in the opening chapter of This Country of Ours; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Named
A word that appears in the opening chapter of This Country of Ours; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mighty
A word that appears in the opening chapter of This Country of Ours; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.