Chapter 2 of Vanguards of the Plains is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Vanguards of the Plains is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face. "'We' means Jondo, Banney, a young fellow from Kentucky--" Uncle Esmond began. "Humph! Banney's father carried a gun at Fort Dearborn in 1812. I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.
Chapter 2 of Vanguards of the Plains is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 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.
past form of “comment” — make or write a comment on
From this reading “I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.”
a fortified military post where troops are stationed
From this reading “Banney's father carried a gun at Fort Dearborn in 1812.”
not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
From this reading “The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.”
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading “The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.”
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
From this reading “The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.”
a state in east central United States; a border state during the American Civil War; famous for breeding race horses
From this reading “"'We' means Jondo, Banney, a young fellow from Kentucky--" Uncle Esmond began.”
of or relating to the study of the principles of warfare
From this reading “I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.”
in a petulant manner
From this reading “I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Banney's father carried a gun at Fort Dearborn in 1812.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Banney's father carried a gun at Fort Dearborn in 1812.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "'We' means Jondo, Banney, a young fellow from Kentucky--" Uncle Esmond began.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Banney's father carried a gun at Fort Dearborn in 1812.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading "'We' means Jondo, Banney, a young fellow from Kentucky--" Uncle Esmond began.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading Banney's father carried a gun at Fort Dearborn in 1812.
a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general
From this reading I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.
past form of “comment” — make or write a comment on
From this reading I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Banney's father carried a gun at Fort Dearborn in 1812.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "'We' means Jondo, Banney, a young fellow from Kentucky--" Uncle Esmond began.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Banney's father carried a gun at Fort Dearborn in 1812.
a boy or man
From this reading "'We' means Jondo, Banney, a young fellow from Kentucky--" Uncle Esmond began.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.
a fortified military post where troops are stationed
From this reading Banney's father carried a gun at Fort Dearborn in 1812.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "'We' means Jondo, Banney, a young fellow from Kentucky--" Uncle Esmond began.
not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading Banney's father carried a gun at Fort Dearborn in 1812.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Humph!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "'We' means Jondo, Banney, a young fellow from Kentucky--" Uncle Esmond began.
a state in east central United States; a border state during the American Civil War; famous for breeding race horses
From this reading "'We' means Jondo, Banney, a young fellow from Kentucky--" Uncle Esmond began.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading "'We' means Jondo, Banney, a young fellow from Kentucky--" Uncle Esmond began.
of or relating to the study of the principles of warfare
From this reading I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
work done by one person or group that benefits another
From this reading I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
in a petulant manner
From this reading I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading I thought that young fellow came here for military service," the colonel commented, testily.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading "'We' means Jondo, Banney, a young fellow from Kentucky--" Uncle Esmond began.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "'We' means Jondo, Banney, a young fellow from Kentucky--" Uncle Esmond began.
the words that are spoken
From this reading The words did not sound like a joke, and there was little humor in the grim face.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading "'We' means Jondo, Banney, a young fellow from Kentucky--" Uncle Esmond began.
Chapter 2 of Vanguards of the Plains by Margaret Hill McCarter holds 406 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.
Chapter 2 holds 406 sentences of Vanguards of the Plains, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Vanguards of the Plains by Margaret Hill McCarter exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 406 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.
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.
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.
Common questions about reading Vanguards of the Plains by Margaret Hill McCarter on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5822 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13345 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #13345, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 485 minutes of reading across 1165 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Vanguards of the Plains section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 14 chapters of Vanguards of the Plains 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 Vanguards of the Plains, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
