Chapter 16 of Torchy is here in full — 254 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVI
Chapter 16 of Torchy is here in full — 254 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory. Remember him, don't you? Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order. Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door? Not so you'd notice it.
Chapter 16 of Torchy is here in full — 254 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/50 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
protective covering made of metal and used in combat
From this reading “Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.”
a person who is not very intelligent or interested in culture
From this reading “Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.”
term of address for a disrespectful and annoying male
From this reading “Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?”
owning or consisting of land or real estate
From this reading “Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.”
make a painting
From this reading “Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?”
a person's partner in marriage
From this reading “Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?”
slide without control
From this reading “THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.”
direct the course; determine the direction of travelling
From this reading “Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
protective covering made of metal and used in combat
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
the body of faculty and students of a college
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Remember him, don't you?
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
past form of “help” — give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
a person who is not very intelligent or interested in culture
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Remember him, don't you?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Not so you'd notice it.
term of address for a disrespectful and annoying male
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
owning or consisting of land or real estate
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
engage in
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not so you'd notice it.
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading Not so you'd notice it.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
make a painting
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
a person's partner in marriage
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
(baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
To recall to mind.
From this reading Remember him, don't you?
express in words
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
slide without control
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Not so you'd notice it.
direct the course; determine the direction of travelling
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Did they make Skid a junior partner for that, or paint his name on a private office door?
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
-ing form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
two times
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
at the time that
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading THROWING THE LINE TO SKID Say, this is twice I've been let in wrong on Skid Mallory.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Remember him, don't you?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not so you'd notice it.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Well, he's our young college hick that I helped steer up against Baron Kazedky when he landed that big armor plate order.
Chapter 16 of Torchy by Sewell Ford holds 254 sentences, grouped into 51 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.
Chapter 16 holds 254 sentences of Torchy, unabridged, divided into 51 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 16 of Torchy by Sewell Ford exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 254 sentences, grouped into 51 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.
Work through the 51 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 51 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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.
Common questions about reading Torchy by Sewell Ford on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4899 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20626 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #20626, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 408 minutes of reading across 980 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Torchy section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 19 chapters of Torchy to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Torchy, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
