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You Never Know Your Luck
You Never Know Your Luck

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of You Never Know Your Luck is here in full — 134 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for You Never Know Your Luck
Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.
With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.
This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.
She was a symphony in gold--nothing less.
Her hair, her cheeks, her eyes, her skin, her laugh, her voice they were all gold.
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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.

You Never Know Your Luck

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of You Never Know Your Luck is here in full — 134 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.
Line 2
With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.
Line 3
This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.
/ðɪs ˈmɔːrnɪŋ ˈsɪŋər wɑːz dʒʌst ðæt eɪdʒ ənd ɪf juː hæd lʊkt æt ðə ˈɡoʊldən ˈkɑːrpət ʌv wiːt ˈstretʃɪŋ fɔːr skɔːrz ʌv maɪlz bɪˈfɔːr juː lʊkt æt hɜːr juː wʊd hæv θɔːt hɜːr ˈkjʊriəsli ɪn toʊn wɪð ðə siːn/
Line 4
She was a symphony in gold--nothing less.
Line 5
Her hair, her cheeks, her eyes, her skin, her laugh, her voice they were all gold.
/hɜːr her hɜːr tʃiːks hɜːr aɪz hɜːr skɪn hɜːr læf hɜːr vɔɪs ðeɪ wɜːr ɔːl ɡoʊld/

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.

borders noun US /ˈbɔːrdərz/

plural of “border” — a line that indicates a boundary

From this reading “If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.”

brushing noun US /ˈbrʌʃɪŋ/

the act of brushing your teeth

From this reading “If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.”

pathway noun US /ˈpæθweɪ/

a bundle of myelinated nerve fibers following a path through the brain

From this reading “If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.”

possessor noun US /pəˈzesər/

a person who owns something

From this reading “If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.”

Rockies noun US /ˈrɑːkiz/

the chief mountain range of western North America; extends from British Columbia to northern New Mexico; forms the continental divide

From this reading “If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.”

scores noun US /skɔːrz/

a large number or amount

From this reading “This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.”

symphony noun US /ˈsɪmfəni/

a long and complex sonata for symphony orchestra

From this reading “She was a symphony in gold--nothing less.”

twenty-two noun US /ˈtwentituː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of twenty-one and one

From this reading “With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.”

All words in this reading · 97

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 If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

ableadjectiveUS /ˈeɪbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

From this reading With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.

agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

agoadverbUS /əˈɡoʊ/

in the past

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

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 With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

Askatoon

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

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.

AugustnounUS /ˈɑːɡəst/

the month following July and preceding September

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

bordersnounUS /ˈbɔːrdərz/

plural of “border” — a line that indicates a boundary

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

brushingnounUS /ˈbrʌʃɪŋ/

the act of brushing your teeth

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

carpetnounUS /ˈkɑːrpət/

floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

cheeksnounUS /tʃiːks/

plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes

From this reading Her hair, her cheeks, her eyes, her skin, her laugh, her voice they were all gold.

clothnounUS /klɔːθ/

artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

coatnounUS /koʊt/

an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

curiouslyadverbUS /ˈkjʊriəsli/

in a manner differing from the usual or expected

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

eyenounUS /aɪ/

the organ of sight

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading Her hair, her cheeks, her eyes, her skin, her laugh, her voice they were all gold.

fieldnounUS /fiːld/

a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.

freshadjectiveUS /freʃ/

recently made, produced, or harvested

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

giftnounUS /ɡɪft/

something acquired without compensation

From this reading With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.

goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/

coins made of gold

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

goldenadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊldən/

having the deep slightly brownish color of gold

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

hairnounUS /her/

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading Her hair, her cheeks, her eyes, her skin, her laugh, her voice they were all gold.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

invitedverbUS /ˌɪnˈvaɪtəd/

past form of “invite” — increase the likelihood of

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

joynounUS /dʒɔɪ/

the emotion of great happiness

From this reading With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.

joyouslyadverb

in a joyous and gleeful manner

From this reading With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

laughnounUS /læf/

the sound of laughing

From this reading Her hair, her cheeks, her eyes, her skin, her laugh, her voice they were all gold.

lessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading She was a symphony in gold--nothing less.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

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 If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

milesnounUS /maɪlz/

plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading She was a symphony in gold--nothing less.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

pathwaynounUS /ˈpæθweɪ/

a bundle of myelinated nerve fibers following a path through the brain

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

possessornounUS /pəˈzesər/

a person who owns something

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

prairienounUS /ˈpreri/

a treeless grassy plain

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

RockiesnounUS /ˈrɑːkiz/

the chief mountain range of western North America; extends from British Columbia to northern New Mexico; forms the continental divide

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

scenenounUS /siːn/

the place where some action occurs

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

scoresnounUS /skɔːrz/

a large number or amount

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.

singverbUS /sɪŋ/

deliver by singing

From this reading With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.

singernounUS /ˈsɪŋər/

a person who sings

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

singingnounUS /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/

the act of singing vocal music

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

skinnounUS /skɪn/

a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch

From this reading Her hair, her cheeks, her eyes, her skin, her laugh, her voice they were all gold.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

stretchingnounUS /ˈstretʃɪŋ/

act of expanding by lengthening or widening

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

symphonynounUS /ˈsɪmfəni/

a long and complex sonata for symphony orchestra

From this reading She was a symphony in gold--nothing less.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Her hair, her cheeks, her eyes, her skin, her laugh, her voice they were all gold.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

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

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

tonenounUS /toʊn/

the quality of a person's voice

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

twenty-twonounUS /ˈtwentituː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of twenty-one and one

From this reading With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.

voicenounUS /vɔɪs/

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Her hair, her cheeks, her eyes, her skin, her laugh, her voice they were all gold.

wheatnounUS /wiːt/

annual or biennial grass having erect flower spikes and light brown grains

From this reading This morning singer was just that age; and if you had looked at the golden carpet of wheat stretching for scores of miles, before you looked at her, you would have thought her curiously in tone with the scene.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading With the gift of singing for joy at all, you should be able to sing very joyously at twenty-two.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading If you had stood on the borders of Askatoon, a prairie town, on the pathway to the Rockies one late August day not many years ago, you would have heard a fresh young human voice singing into the morning, as its possessor looked, from a coat she was brushing, out over the "field of the cloth of gold," which your eye has already been invited to see.

Chapter 1 of You Never Know Your Luck by Gilbert Parker holds 134 sentences, grouped into 27 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 1 of You Never Know Your Luck contain?

Chapter 1 holds 134 sentences of You Never Know Your Luck, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of You Never Know Your Luck by Gilbert Parker exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 134 sentences, grouped into 27 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 1 of You Never Know Your Luck?

Work through the 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 27 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 You Never Know Your Luck

Common questions about reading You Never Know Your Luck by Gilbert Parker on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of You Never Know Your Luck?

Yes. All 855 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6285 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of You Never Know Your Luck is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #6285, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does You Never Know Your Luck take to read?

About 71 minutes of reading across 171 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read You Never Know Your Luck section by section

How to work through You Never Know Your Luck section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 5 chapters of You Never Know Your Luck 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 You Never Know Your Luck

Words and structures a reader meets early in You Never Know Your Luck, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Stood
A word that appears in the opening chapter of You Never Know Your Luck; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Borders
A word that appears in the opening chapter of You Never Know Your Luck; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Askatoon
A word that appears in the opening chapter of You Never Know Your Luck; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Prairie
A word that appears in the opening chapter of You Never Know Your Luck; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.