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Tobogganing on Parnassus
Tobogganing on Parnassus

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Tobogganing on Parnassus is here in full — 407 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Tobogganing on Parnassus
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.
Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:
When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?
Is it justified?
Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?
0:00 / 0:00
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Tobogganing on Parnassus

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Tobogganing on Parnassus is here in full — 407 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.
Line 2
Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:
Line 3
When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?
/wen aɪ beɡ ɪn ˌdespərˈeɪʃən eɪt oʊ ˈsevən ˈrɪvərsaɪd waɪ duː aɪ ɡet ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/
Line 4
Is it justified?
/ɪz ɪt ˈdʒʌstəfaɪd/
Line 5
Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?

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.

appalled adjective US /əˈpɔːld/

struck with fear, dread, or consternation

From this reading “Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?”

desperation noun US /ˌdespərˈeɪʃən/

a state in which all hope is lost or absent

From this reading “When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?”

imperious adj US /ɪmˈpɪr.i.əs/

Assuming power or authority without justification; arrogant and domineering. (Hách dịch, độc đoán, kiêu kỳ.)

From this reading “Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.”

insistence noun US /ˌɪnˈsɪstəns/

continual and persistent demands

From this reading “Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?”

justified adjective US /ˈdʒʌstəfaɪd/

having words so spaced that lines have straight even margins

From this reading “Is it justified?”

phone noun US /foʊn/

electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds

From this reading “Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.”

Puffed adjective US /pʌft/

gathered for protruding fullness

From this reading “Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:”

Riverside noun US /ˈrɪvərsaɪd/

the bank of a river

From this reading “When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?”

All words in this reading · 57

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.

2.85

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

From this reading Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?

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 Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

appalledadjectiveUS /əˈpɔːld/

struck with fear, dread, or consternation

From this reading Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?

askverbUS /æsk/

make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?

begverbUS /beɡ/

call upon in supplication; entreat

From this reading When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

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

From this reading Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:

desperationnounUS /ˌdespərˈeɪʃən/

a state in which all hope is lost or absent

From this reading When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?

DistancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

EightadjectiveUS /eɪt/

being one more than seven

From this reading When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?

femaleadjectiveUS /ˈfiːmeɪl/

being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces fertilizable gametes (ova) from which offspring develop

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?

Hearkenverb

listen; used mostly in the imperative

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

imperiousadjUS /ɪmˈpɪr.i.əs/

Assuming power or authority without justification; arrogant and domineering. (Hách dịch, độc đoán, kiêu kỳ.)

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?

InformationnounUS /ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/

a message received and understood

From this reading When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?

insistencenounUS /ˌɪnˈsɪstəns/

continual and persistent demands

From this reading Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?

Isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Is it justified?

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Is it justified?

justifiedadjectiveUS /ˈdʒʌstəfaɪd/

having words so spaced that lines have straight even margins

From this reading Is it justified?

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:

ListenverbUS /ˈlɪsən/

hear with intention

From this reading Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:

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 Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?

Munsey's

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

From this reading Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?

OnounUS /oʊ/

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?

o'eradverb

throughout a period of time

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

otter-hatted

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

From this reading Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:

personnounUS /ˈpɜːrsən/

a human being

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

phonenounUS /foʊn/

electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

pompadoured

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

From this reading Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:

Pony-coated

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

From this reading Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:

prepareverbUS /priˈper/

make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc

From this reading Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?

presideth

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

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

ProudadjectiveUS /praʊd/

feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

PuffedadjectiveUS /pʌft/

gathered for protruding fullness

From this reading Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:

ratted

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

From this reading Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:

ReadingnounUS /ˈriːdɪŋ/

the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message

From this reading Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:

RiversidenounUS /ˈrɪvərsaɪd/

the bank of a river

From this reading When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?

SevennounUS /ˈsevən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one

From this reading When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:

TheepronounUS /ðiː/

an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Puffed and pompadoured and ratted, Reading _Munsey's_ all the day, Pony-coated, otter-hatted-- Listen to my lay:

versenounUS /vɜːrs/

literature in metrical form

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Proud, imperious female person That presideth o'er my 'phone, Hearken while I do some verse on Thee, and thee alone.

WhynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading When I beg in desperation, "Eight O Seven Riverside," Why do I get "Information"?

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Why--I ask it with insistence-- Why--prepare to be appalled-- Why "$2.85 Long Distance" That I never called?

Chapter 2 of Tobogganing on Parnassus by Franklin P. (Franklin Pierce) Adams holds 407 sentences, grouped into 82 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 2 of Tobogganing on Parnassus contain?

Chapter 2 holds 407 sentences of Tobogganing on Parnassus, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Tobogganing on Parnassus by Franklin P. (Franklin Pierce) Adams exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 407 sentences, grouped into 82 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 2 of Tobogganing on Parnassus?

Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 82 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Tobogganing on Parnassus

Common questions about reading Tobogganing on Parnassus by Franklin P. (Franklin Pierce) Adams on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Tobogganing on Parnassus?

Yes. All 784 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6122 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Tobogganing on Parnassus is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #6122, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Tobogganing on Parnassus take to read?

About 65 minutes of reading across 157 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Tobogganing on Parnassus section by section

How to work through Tobogganing on Parnassus section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 2 chapters of Tobogganing on Parnassus 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 Tobogganing on Parnassus

Words and structures a reader meets early in Tobogganing on Parnassus, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Juliet
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tobogganing on Parnassus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sutherland
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tobogganing on Parnassus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Charles
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tobogganing on Parnassus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Franks
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tobogganing on Parnassus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.