#readingskills — Public Fediverse posts

“Summer Sun” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer whose adventurous imagination and recognisable style made him one of the most celebrated authors of the Victorian era. Still widely read, he is nowadays best known for classic works of literature such as Treasure Island (1883) and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886).

In this post, however, we’ll get acquainted with one of his poems: “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

Below the poem you’ll find a vocabulary exercise and discussion points designed for English language learners. For more summer-related poetry posts, please click on the links at the bottom of the page.

Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven without repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.

Though closer still the blinds we pull
To keep the shady parlour cool,
Yet he will find a chink or two
To slip his golden fingers through.

The dusty attic spider-clad,
He, through the keyhole, maketh glad;
And through the broken edge of tiles,
Into the laddered hay-loft smiles.

Meantime his golden face around
He bares to all the garden ground,
And sheds a warm and glittering look
Among the ivy's inmost nook.

Above the hills, along the blue,
Round the bright air with footing true,
To please the child, to paint the rose,
The gardener of the World, he goes.

VOCABULARY EXERCISE

Find the nouns in the poem with the following meaning:

• a sitting room, a drawing room
• a small, quiet space; a corner
• a period of resting and relaxation
• a small, narrow opening
• a window covering used to control light and privacy

Click here for the answer key.

DISCUSSION POINTS

• What kind of mood or feeling does the poem create? Is it energetic, calm, or something else? 
• In many cultures, the Sun is presented as a “he” — a masculine figure, while the Moon is often presented as a “she”. Why is that, do you think?
• This poem is set in summer. How might the poet describe the winter sun? 

MORE SUMMER-THEMED POEMS

“Rain in Summer” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Summer Moods” by John Clare

“In Summer” by Lord Alfred Douglas

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

Dan Cook via Unsplash

“Summer Sun” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer whose adventurous imagination and recognisable style made him one of the most celebrated authors of the Victorian era. Still widely read, he is nowadays best known for classic works of literature such as Treasure Island (1883) and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886).

In this post, however, we’ll get acquainted with one of his poems: “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

Below the poem you’ll find a vocabulary exercise and discussion points designed for English language learners. For more summer-related poetry posts, please click on the links at the bottom of the page.

Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven without repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.

Though closer still the blinds we pull
To keep the shady parlour cool,
Yet he will find a chink or two
To slip his golden fingers through.

The dusty attic spider-clad,
He, through the keyhole, maketh glad;
And through the broken edge of tiles,
Into the laddered hay-loft smiles.

Meantime his golden face around
He bares to all the garden ground,
And sheds a warm and glittering look
Among the ivy's inmost nook.

Above the hills, along the blue,
Round the bright air with footing true,
To please the child, to paint the rose,
The gardener of the World, he goes.

VOCABULARY EXERCISE

Find the nouns in the poem with the following meaning:

• a sitting room, a drawing room
• a small, quiet space; a corner
• a period of resting and relaxation
• a small, narrow opening
• a window covering used to control light and privacy

Click here for the answer key.

DISCUSSION POINTS

• What kind of mood or feeling does the poem create? Is it energetic, calm, or something else? 
• In many cultures, the Sun is presented as a “he” — a masculine figure, while the Moon is often presented as a “she”. Why is that, do you think?
• This poem is set in summer. How might the poet describe the winter sun? 

MORE SUMMER-THEMED POEMS

“Rain in Summer” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Summer Moods” by John Clare

“In Summer” by Lord Alfred Douglas

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

Dan Cook via Unsplash

“Summer Sun” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer whose adventurous imagination and recognisable style made him one of the most celebrated authors of the Victorian era. Still widely read, he is nowadays best known for classic works of literature such as Treasure Island (1883) and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886).

In this post, however, we’ll get acquainted with one of his poems: “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

Below the poem you’ll find a vocabulary exercise and discussion points designed for English language learners. For more summer-related poetry posts, please click on the links at the bottom of the page.

Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven without repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.

Though closer still the blinds we pull
To keep the shady parlour cool,
Yet he will find a chink or two
To slip his golden fingers through.

The dusty attic spider-clad,
He, through the keyhole, maketh glad;
And through the broken edge of tiles,
Into the laddered hay-loft smiles.

Meantime his golden face around
He bares to all the garden ground,
And sheds a warm and glittering look
Among the ivy's inmost nook.

Above the hills, along the blue,
Round the bright air with footing true,
To please the child, to paint the rose,
The gardener of the World, he goes.

VOCABULARY EXERCISE

Find the nouns in the poem with the following meaning:

• a sitting room, a drawing room
• a small, quiet space; a corner
• a period of resting and relaxation
• a small, narrow opening
• a window covering used to control light and privacy

Click here for the answer key.

DISCUSSION POINTS

• What kind of mood or feeling does the poem create? Is it energetic, calm, or something else? 
• In many cultures, the Sun is presented as a “he” — a masculine figure, while the Moon is often presented as a “she”. Why is that, do you think?
• This poem is set in summer. How might the poet describe the winter sun? 

MORE SUMMER-THEMED POEMS

“Rain in Summer” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Summer Moods” by John Clare

“In Summer” by Lord Alfred Douglas

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

Dan Cook via Unsplash

“Summer Sun” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer whose adventurous imagination and recognisable style made him one of the most celebrated authors of the Victorian era. Still widely read, he is nowadays best known for classic works of literature such as Treasure Island (1883) and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886).

In this post, however, we’ll get acquainted with one of his poems: “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

Below the poem you’ll find a vocabulary exercise and discussion points designed for English language learners. For more summer-related poetry posts, please click on the links at the bottom of the page.

Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven without repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.

Though closer still the blinds we pull
To keep the shady parlour cool,
Yet he will find a chink or two
To slip his golden fingers through.

The dusty attic spider-clad,
He, through the keyhole, maketh glad;
And through the broken edge of tiles,
Into the laddered hay-loft smiles.

Meantime his golden face around
He bares to all the garden ground,
And sheds a warm and glittering look
Among the ivy's inmost nook.

Above the hills, along the blue,
Round the bright air with footing true,
To please the child, to paint the rose,
The gardener of the World, he goes.

VOCABULARY EXERCISE

Find the nouns in the poem with the following meaning:

• a sitting room, a drawing room
• a small, quiet space; a corner
• a period of resting and relaxation
• a small, narrow opening
• a window covering used to control light and privacy

Click here for the answer key.

DISCUSSION POINTS

• What kind of mood or feeling does the poem create? Is it energetic, calm, or something else? 
• In many cultures, the Sun is presented as a “he” — a masculine figure, while the Moon is often presented as a “she”. Why is that, do you think?
• This poem is set in summer. How might the poet describe the winter sun? 

MORE SUMMER-THEMED POEMS

“Rain in Summer” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Summer Moods” by John Clare

“In Summer” by Lord Alfred Douglas

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

Dan Cook via Unsplash

“Summer Sun” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer whose adventurous imagination and recognisable style made him one of the most celebrated authors of the Victorian era. Still widely read, he is nowadays best known for classic works of literature such as Treasure Island (1883) and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886).

In this post, however, we’ll get acquainted with one of his poems: “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

Below the poem you’ll find a vocabulary exercise and discussion points designed for English language learners. For more summer-related poetry posts, please click on the links at the bottom of the page.

Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven without repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.

Though closer still the blinds we pull
To keep the shady parlour cool,
Yet he will find a chink or two
To slip his golden fingers through.

The dusty attic spider-clad,
He, through the keyhole, maketh glad;
And through the broken edge of tiles,
Into the laddered hay-loft smiles.

Meantime his golden face around
He bares to all the garden ground,
And sheds a warm and glittering look
Among the ivy's inmost nook.

Above the hills, along the blue,
Round the bright air with footing true,
To please the child, to paint the rose,
The gardener of the World, he goes.

VOCABULARY EXERCISE

Find the nouns in the poem with the following meaning:

• a sitting room, a drawing room
• a small, quiet space; a corner
• a period of resting and relaxation
• a small, narrow opening
• a window covering used to control light and privacy

Click here for the answer key.

DISCUSSION POINTS

• What kind of mood or feeling does the poem create? Is it energetic, calm, or something else? 
• In many cultures, the Sun is presented as a “he” — a masculine figure, while the Moon is often presented as a “she”. Why is that, do you think?
• This poem is set in summer. How might the poet describe the winter sun? 

MORE SUMMER-THEMED POEMS

“Rain in Summer” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Summer Moods” by John Clare

“In Summer” by Lord Alfred Douglas

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

Dan Cook via Unsplash

Free ebook: “Squirrel” by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

I’m happy to present another title in the Grammaticus Free Library series: “Squirrel” by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman.

Mary E. Wilkins Freeman (1852–1930) was a prominent American writer whose finely crafted short stories set in rural New England explored themes of domestic duty and women’s struggles, while also commenting on the natural world and our intimate connection with the animal and plant life. She is still remembered as one of the leading voices of American realism of the late 19th century.

Her short story “Squirrel” tells of a devoted pair of squirrels who claim ownership of an English walnut tree, quietly harvesting its nuts each year while the elderly farmer and his wife remain puzzled by the tree’s seemingly perpetual barrenness.

Apart from the customary vocabulary notes, this ebook contains a simple exercise on some of the dialectal grammar forms used by the author and which may sound confusing to English language learners. The answer key with relevant explanations can be found at the bottom of this post, under Grammar Explainer.

To download your free PDF copy, please click on the link below:

CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

GRAMMAR EXPLAINER

At the end of the PDF file, there’s an exercise drawing the readers’ attention to some of the non-standard, dialectal grammar forms used in the story. And here’s a brief explainer on those key features:

“Seems as if them nuts must drop off that tree and be picked up,” said the Farmer, “but there ain’t no boys.”

Standard English: “It seems as if those nuts must have dropped off that tree and been picked up,” said the Farmer, “but there aren’t any boys.”

Seems < It seems…

“It” is often omitted at the beginning of a sentence in spoken English, for various reasons. Here we have an example of omission in impersonal statements introduced by verbs such as “seem” and “look.”

Looks nice!

Seems good to me.

them < those

In many dialects, such as Appalachian English and African American Vernacular English, “them” is regularly used as a demonstrative instead of “those.”

Them boys are crazy!

I don’t know him well, he’s one of them people.

must drop off… be picked up < must have dropped off… have been picked up

Tenses and structures requiring the Past Participle are often formed irregularly in spoken language. Here we have the auxiliary verb “have” completely ommitted, and then bare infinitives used after the modal verb “must.” You’ll notice the inconsistent use of past tense forms, too (it’s there in “picked” but not in “drop”). 

ain’t no < aren’t any

“Ain’t” is a commonly used informal contraction replacing various negative forms of the auxiliary verbs:

That ain’t true. = That isn’t true.

I ain’t got no money. = I haven’t got / I don’t have any money.

It goes with “no” rather than “any”, forming a double negative (which is otherwise avoided in standard English).

“What d’ye think?” he said. “It was them Squirrels that have stole all them English walnuts.”

Standard English: “What do you think?” he said. “It was those Squirrels that have stolen all those English walnuts.”

d’ye < do you

“Ye” is still used in a number of dialects as the informal plural form of “you.” Here it’s further contracted with “do.”

them < those

Same as in the previous quote.

have stole < have stolen

Another example of irregular formation of a tense formed using the Past Participle (in this case, the Present Perfect Simple tense).

“Be you the thief?” he asked.

Standard English: “Are you the thief?” he asked.

be < are

Also typical of Appalachian, as well as African American Vernacular English and other dialects, here we have the use of “be” instead of “is” or “are” in the present tenses (both Present Simple and Present Continuous).

Be he ready? = Is he ready?

I be going now. = I am going now.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the short story, and that these irregular grammar forms weren’t too confusing. They just go to show that there’s a lot more going on in the English grammar apart from what is taught in formal classes!

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

Mathew Schwartz auf Unsplash

Khả năng đọc của học sinh tăng vọt sau khi loại bỏ công nghệ khỏi lớp học

https://iphone.socnaurom.workers.dev/vi/post/3078

Khả năng đọc của học sinh tăng vọt sau khi loại bỏ công nghệ khỏi lớp học Đọc toàn bộ bài viết #Kỹ năng đọc #Kỹ năng giáo dục #Học trong lớp Khả năng đọc của học sinh tăng vọt sau khi loại bỏ công nghệ khỏi lớp học Đọc toàn bộ bài viết #ReadingSkills #EducationTech #ClassroomLearning Khả năng đọc củ...

via Tin tức AI Toàn Cầu | TechOffice AI News https://iphone.socnaurom.workers.dev/vi/

June 16, 2026 at 07:25PM

Tyler’s take: Washington Commanders staff has not lost confidence in Mike Sainristil https://www.rawchili.com/nfl/913571/ #AhkelloWitherspoon #AMIKROBERTSON #Commanders #DanQuinn #DaronteJones #Football #JohnKeim #MikeSainristil #Minnesota #NFL #QuanMartin #RasulDouglas #ReadingSkills #TrevonDiggs #TreyAmos #Washington #WashingtonCommanders #WashingtonCommanders

Tyler’s take: Washington Commanders staff has not lost confidence in Mike Sainristil https://www.rawchili.com/nfl/913571/ #AhkelloWitherspoon #AMIKROBERTSON #Commanders #DanQuinn #DaronteJones #Football #JohnKeim #MikeSainristil #Minnesota #NFL #QuanMartin #RasulDouglas #ReadingSkills #TrevonDiggs #TreyAmos #Washington #WashingtonCommanders #WashingtonCommanders

“For decades, the common explanation for why children struggle to read has stayed remarkably consistent. Smart kids read well. Kids who don't simply aren't smart enough. [...] Dr. Daniel Hajovsky, associate professor in Texas A&M University's Department of Educational Psychology, has led one of the largest analyses ever conducted on the relationship between cognitive abilities and reading. [...] The results offer a new perspective. Visual processing showed no meaningful relationship to reading ability anywhere in the analysis. General intelligence mattered, but far less than earlier research had claimed.”

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-years-struggles-obvious-massive-analysis.html

#ReadingSkills #Children #FediLZ

“For decades, the common explanation for why children struggle to read has stayed remarkably consistent. Smart kids read well. Kids who don't simply aren't smart enough. [...] Dr. Daniel Hajovsky, associate professor in Texas A&M University's Department of Educational Psychology, has led one of the largest analyses ever conducted on the relationship between cognitive abilities and reading. [...] The results offer a new perspective. Visual processing showed no meaningful relationship to reading ability anywhere in the analysis. General intelligence mattered, but far less than earlier research had claimed.”

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-years-struggles-obvious-massive-analysis.html

#ReadingSkills #Children #FediLZ

Free ebook: “Departure” by Sherwood Anderson

Dear all,

It’s the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it’s a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941), American novelist and short story writer best known for his book ” Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life.”

Departure comes from that same collection of stories. It’s about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he’s leaving, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy. It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy!

To get your PDF copy with vocabulary notes, please click on the link below:

CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

If you’d like to access more ebooks, visit the English Library section of this website.

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the box below. You can also subscribe to my free monthly Newsletter and get a regular recap with additional content.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

Jake Sheppard via Unsplash

Free ebook: “Departure” by Sherwood Anderson

Dear all,

It’s the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it’s a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941), American novelist and short story writer best known for his book ” Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life.”

Departure comes from that same collection of stories. It’s about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he’s leaving, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy. It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy!

To get your PDF copy with vocabulary notes, please click on the link below:

CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

If you’d like to access more ebooks, visit the English Library section of this website.

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the box below. You can also subscribe to my free monthly Newsletter and get a regular recap with additional content.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

Jake Sheppard via Unsplash

Free ebook: “Departure” by Sherwood Anderson

Dear all,

It’s the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it’s a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941), American novelist and short story writer best known for his book ” Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life.”

Departure comes from that same collection of stories. It’s about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he sets off, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy. It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy!

To get your PDF copy with vocabulary notes, please click on the link below:

CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

If you’d like to access more ebooks, visit the English Library section of this website.

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

Jake Sheppard via Unsplash

Free ebook: “Departure” by Sherwood Anderson

Dear all,

It’s the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it’s a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941), American novelist and short story writer best known for his book ” Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life.”

Departure comes from that same collection of stories. It’s about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he’s leaving, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy. It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy!

To get your PDF copy with vocabulary notes, please click on the link below:

CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

If you’d like to access more ebooks, visit the English Library section of this website.

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the box below. You can also subscribe to my free monthly Newsletter and get a regular recap with additional content.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

Jake Sheppard via Unsplash

Free ebook: “Departure” by Sherwood Anderson

Dear all,

It’s the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it’s a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941), American novelist and short story writer best known for his book ” Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life.”

Departure comes from that same collection of stories. It’s about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he’s leaving, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy. It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy!

To get your PDF copy with vocabulary notes, please click on the link below:

CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

If you’d like to access more ebooks, visit the English Library section of this website.

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the box below. You can also subscribe to my free monthly Newsletter and get a regular recap with additional content.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

Jake Sheppard via Unsplash

“The Brook in February” by Sir Charles George Douglas Roberts

Charles G. D. Roberts (1860-1943) was a prominent Canadian author and public intellectual, often referred to as the father of Canadian poetry. He wrote numerous works of fiction, but he also did a lot of nature and travel writing, largely focused on Canadian themes.

The short poem presented here was first published in his collection “The Book of the Native” in 1896. Set in the cold and silent month of February, it captures the tension between winter’s stillness and the hidden vitality of the coming spring.

If you’re an English language learner, don’t miss the vocabulary exercise found below! (Answer key available.)

A snowy path for squirrel and fox,
It winds between the wintry firs.
Snow-muffled are its iron rocks,
And o'er its stillness nothing stirs.

But low, bend low a listening ear!
Beneath the mask of moveless white
A babbling whisper you shall hear—
Of birds and blossoms, leaves and light.

VOCABULARY EXERCISE

Match the following words from the poem with the definitions:

WIND  (v.)  |  FIR  (n.)  |  MUFFLED  (adj.)  |  BABBLE  (v.)  |  BLOSSOM  (n.) 

• wrapped up, enveloped
• to make the low, continuous noise of water flowing over stones
• a small flower on a tree or plant
• an evergreen tree with leaves like needles
• to have many twists and bends

To check your answers, please click here.

ADDITIONAL LINKS

Sir Charles George Douglas Roberts (The Canadian Encyclopedia)

E-book versions of C. G. D. Roberts’ works (Project Gutenberg)

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER IMAGE CREDIT

Photo by Richard Wang via Unsplash

Teacher stirs 'controversy' by being brutally honest with students about their reading level

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/teacher-says-students-should-know-their-reading-level-ex1

Teacher stirs 'controversy' by being brutally honest with students about their reading level

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/teacher-says-students-should-know-their-reading-level-ex1

Teacher stirs 'controversy' by being brutally honest with students about their reading level

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/teacher-says-students-should-know-their-reading-level-ex1

Teacher stirs 'controversy' by being brutally honest with students about their reading level

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/teacher-says-students-should-know-their-reading-level-ex1

🔢📚 In today's "shocking" revelation, it appears that US high schoolers are continuing their epic quest to set new low scores in math and reading. Meanwhile, a war of headlines rages on, leaving us to wonder if anyone will ever find X or read about it competently. 😂🔍
https://apnews.com/article/naep-reading-math-scores-12th-grade-c18d6e3fbc125f12948cc70cb85a520a #USEducation #MathScores #ReadingSkills #LowScores #HeadlineWar #StudentPerformance #HackerNews #ngated

🔢📚 In today's "shocking" revelation, it appears that US high schoolers are continuing their epic quest to set new low scores in math and reading. Meanwhile, a war of headlines rages on, leaving us to wonder if anyone will ever find X or read about it competently. 😂🔍
https://apnews.com/article/naep-reading-math-scores-12th-grade-c18d6e3fbc125f12948cc70cb85a520a #USEducation #MathScores #ReadingSkills #LowScores #HeadlineWar #StudentPerformance #HackerNews #ngated

🔢📚 In today's "shocking" revelation, it appears that US high schoolers are continuing their epic quest to set new low scores in math and reading. Meanwhile, a war of headlines rages on, leaving us to wonder if anyone will ever find X or read about it competently. 😂🔍
https://apnews.com/article/naep-reading-math-scores-12th-grade-c18d6e3fbc125f12948cc70cb85a520a #USEducation #MathScores #ReadingSkills #LowScores #HeadlineWar #StudentPerformance #HackerNews #ngated

🔢📚 In today's "shocking" revelation, it appears that US high schoolers are continuing their epic quest to set new low scores in math and reading. Meanwhile, a war of headlines rages on, leaving us to wonder if anyone will ever find X or read about it competently. 😂🔍
https://apnews.com/article/naep-reading-math-scores-12th-grade-c18d6e3fbc125f12948cc70cb85a520a #USEducation #MathScores #ReadingSkills #LowScores #HeadlineWar #StudentPerformance #HackerNews #ngated

I Used to Know How to Write in Japanese (Somehow, though, I can still read it)

https://aethermug.com/posts/i-used-to-know-how-to-write-in-japanese

#HackerNews #IUsedToKnowJapanese #ReadingSkills #LanguageLearning #JapaneseWriting #Linguistics

I Used to Know How to Write in Japanese (Somehow, though, I can still read it)

https://aethermug.com/posts/i-used-to-know-how-to-write-in-japanese

#HackerNews #IUsedToKnowJapanese #ReadingSkills #LanguageLearning #JapaneseWriting #Linguistics

College English majors can't read

https://kittenbeloved.substack.com/p/college-english-majors-cant-read

#HackerNews #CollegeEnglishMajors #EnglishLiterature #ReadingSkills #HigherEducation #CriticalThinking

College English majors can't read

https://kittenbeloved.substack.com/p/college-english-majors-cant-read

#HackerNews #CollegeEnglishMajors #EnglishLiterature #ReadingSkills #HigherEducation #CriticalThinking

All #NIH grants have now terminated here at #Harvard, including ours, which examined shared/distinct underlying neural & cognitive mechanisms between typical/atypical #arithmetic and #readingskills. Results would have been invaluable for development of #screening, diagnostic, & intervention tools

https://bsky.app/profile/hope-sparks.bsky.social/post/3lpchbofpsk2t

The Average College Student Is Illiterate

https://www.persuasion.community/p/the-average-college-student-is-illiterate

#HackerNews #AverageCollegeStudent #Illiteracy #Education #Crisis #CollegeEducation #ReadingSkills

The Average College Student Is Illiterate

https://www.persuasion.community/p/the-average-college-student-is-illiterate

#HackerNews #AverageCollegeStudent #Illiteracy #Education #Crisis #CollegeEducation #ReadingSkills

Free ebook: “Four Stories for Spring” by Ellen Robena Field

Dear friends and followers of the Grammaticus blog,

With the arrival of spring, it’s time for another quarterly ebook from the Grammaticus Free Library series: “Four Stories for Spring.” 

The author of these stories is Ellen Robena Field (1869–1957), a children’s writer and educator from Bangor, Maine. Nowadays sadly overlooked, she is best known for her collection of short stories “Buttercup Gold and Other Stories”, originally published by the Bangor Kindergarten Association in 1894.

The ebook here available contains four spring-themed stories from that collection, with the accompanying vocabulary notes and illustrations designed primarily for English language learners (levels B1 and above).

To download your PDF copy, click on the link below. To browse all the previous Grammaticus Free Library titles, visit the Library section of this website.

CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

NOTE

If you wish to receive new content from the Grammaticus blog in your inbox, please enter your email address in the box below. You can also subscribe to my free monthly Newsletter.

COVER IMAGE CREDIT

Photo by Kiwihug via Unsplash

#AmericanLiterature #childrenSLiterature #ebook #EllenRobenaField #EnglishLiterature #EnglishVocabulary #freeDownload #freebie #learningEnglish #literature #readingComprehension #readingSkills #shortStories

Free ebook: “Four Stories for Spring” by Ellen Robena Field

Dear friends and followers of the Grammaticus blog,

With the arrival of spring, it’s time for another quarterly ebook from the Grammaticus Free Library series: “Four Stories for Spring.” 

The author of these stories is Ellen Robena Field (1869–1957), a children’s writer and educator from Bangor, Maine. Nowadays sadly overlooked, she is best known for her collection of short stories “Buttercup Gold and Other Stories”, originally published by the Bangor Kindergarten Association in 1894.

The ebook here available contains four spring-themed stories from that collection, with the accompanying vocabulary notes and illustrations designed primarily for English language learners (levels B1 and above).

To download your PDF copy, click on the link below. To browse all the previous Grammaticus Free Library titles, visit the Library section of this website.

CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

NOTE

If you wish to receive new content from the Grammaticus blog in your inbox, please enter your email address in the box below. You can also subscribe to my free monthly Newsletter.

COVER IMAGE CREDIT

Photo by Kiwihug via Unsplash

#AmericanLiterature #childrenSLiterature #ebook #EllenRobenaField #EnglishLiterature #EnglishVocabulary #freeDownload #freebie #learningEnglish #literature #readingComprehension #readingSkills #shortStories

Free ebook: “Four Stories for Spring” by Ellen Robena Field

Dear friends and followers of the Grammaticus blog,

With the arrival of spring, it’s time for another quarterly ebook from the Grammaticus Free Library series: “Four Stories for Spring.” 

The author of these stories is Ellen Robena Field (1869–1957), a children’s writer and educator from Bangor, Maine. Nowadays sadly overlooked, she is best known for her collection of short stories “Buttercup Gold and Other Stories”, originally published by the Bangor Kindergarten Association in 1894.

The ebook here available contains four spring-themed stories from that collection, with the accompanying vocabulary notes and illustrations designed primarily for English language learners (levels B1 and above).

To download your PDF copy, click on the link below. To browse all the previous Grammaticus Free Library titles, visit the Library section of this website.

CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

NOTE

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER IMAGE CREDIT

Photo by Kiwihug via Unsplash

Free ebook: “Four Stories for Spring” by Ellen Robena Field

Dear friends and followers of the Grammaticus blog,

With the arrival of spring, it’s time for another quarterly ebook from the Grammaticus Free Library series: “Four Stories for Spring.” 

The author of these stories is Ellen Robena Field (1869–1957), a children’s writer and educator from Bangor, Maine. Nowadays sadly overlooked, she is best known for her collection of short stories “Buttercup Gold and Other Stories”, originally published by the Bangor Kindergarten Association in 1894.

The ebook here available contains four spring-themed stories from that collection, with the accompanying vocabulary notes and illustrations designed primarily for English language learners (levels B1 and above).

To download your PDF copy, click on the link below. To browse all the previous Grammaticus Free Library titles, visit the Library section of this website.

CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

NOTE

If you wish to receive new content from the Grammaticus blog in your inbox, please enter your email address in the box below. You can also subscribe to my free monthly Newsletter.

COVER IMAGE CREDIT

Photo by Kiwihug via Unsplash

#AmericanLiterature #childrenSLiterature #ebook #EllenRobenaField #EnglishLiterature #EnglishVocabulary #freeDownload #freebie #learningEnglish #literature #readingComprehension #readingSkills #shortStories

Every two years, America’s schoolchildren get a report card on math and reading. The latest results show students falling further behind. But officials say it can’t all be blamed on the pandemic. education #Children #math #readingskills https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2025/0129/nations-report-card-naep-us-math-reading

Every two years, America’s schoolchildren get a report card on math and reading. The latest results show students falling further behind. But officials say it can’t all be blamed on the pandemic. education #Children #math #readingskills https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2025/0129/nations-report-card-naep-us-math-reading

Every two years, America’s schoolchildren get a report card on math and reading. The latest results show students falling further behind. But officials say it can’t all be blamed on the pandemic. #education #Children #math #readingskills

https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2025/0129/nations-report-card-naep-us-math-reading?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into The American Story @the-american-story-csmonitor

Happy Winter Solstice! ❄️☀️

It's time for another free e-book in my Grammaticus Free Library series. Click on the link below to download "Christmas at Red Butte" by the celebrated Canadian writer Lucy Maud Montgomery.

It's a delightful tale that revolves around the themes of sacrifice and the spirit of Christmas. The narrative follows an orphaned girl named Theodora, who faces a challenging situation when a poor harvest on the Canadian prairie threatens to ruin Christmas for her cousins.

The ebook contains vocabulary notes and an extra exercise page for English language learners.

https://grammaticus.blog/2024/12/20/free-ebook-christmas-at-red-butte/

#ebook #shortstory #winter #Christmas #canada #literature #canadianliterature #freebies #learningenglish #readingskills

Happy Winter Solstice! ❄️☀️

It's time for another free e-book in my Grammaticus Free Library series. Click on the link below to download "Christmas at Red Butte" by the celebrated Canadian writer Lucy Maud Montgomery.

It's a delightful tale that revolves around the themes of sacrifice and the spirit of Christmas. The narrative follows an orphaned girl named Theodora, who faces a challenging situation when a poor harvest on the Canadian prairie threatens to ruin Christmas for her cousins.

The ebook contains vocabulary notes and an extra exercise page for English language learners.

https://grammaticus.blog/2024/12/20/free-ebook-christmas-at-red-butte/

#ebook #shortstory #winter #Christmas #canada #literature #canadianliterature #freebies #learningenglish #readingskills

Free ebook: “Christmas at Red Butte” by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Dear friends and followers of the Grammaticus blog,

As the Winter Solstice approaches, it’s time for another free quarterly ebook. This time I bring you “Christmas at Red Butte”, a delightful short story by the celebrated Canadian writer Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942).

The story revolves around the themes of sacrifice and the spirit of Christmas. The narrative follows an orphaned girl named Theodora, who faces a challenging situation when a poor harvest on the Canadian prairie threatens to ruin Christmas for her cousins.

If you’re an English language learner, there’s a simple vocabulary exercise included at the back of the ebook, as well as vocabulary notes explaining some of the more difficult words.

To download your PDF copy, click on the link below. To browse all the previous Grammaticus Free Library titles, visit the Library section of this website.

CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.  

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

Image by Daniel Norris via Unsplash.

I’m happy to announce the release of the seventh title in my Grammaticus Free Library series: “The Mesmeric Mountain” is a curious tale of a man convinced he’s being followed by a mountain. It was written by Stephen Crane (1871-1900), a prolific American writer whose innovative style influenced generations of authors.

https://grammaticus.blog/2024/06/21/free-ebook-the-mesmeric-mountain/

#literature #americanliterature #reading #ReadingSkills #learningenglish #englishteacher #englishvocabulary

I’m happy to announce the release of the seventh title in my Grammaticus Free Library series: “The Mesmeric Mountain” is a curious tale of a man convinced he’s being followed by a mountain. It was written by Stephen Crane (1871-1900), a prolific American writer whose innovative style influenced generations of authors.

https://grammaticus.blog/2024/06/21/free-ebook-the-mesmeric-mountain/

#literature #americanliterature #reading #ReadingSkills #learningenglish #englishteacher #englishvocabulary

I start thinking my French reading skills are getting pretty good and then I go reading half an article thinking they're mentioning wolves in some idiomatic way but actually it's magnifying glass.

#french #readingskills #loup #loupe

I start thinking my French reading skills are getting pretty good and then I go reading half an article thinking they're mentioning wolves in some idiomatic way but actually it's magnifying glass.

#french #readingskills #loup #loupe

On Kate Chopin's birthday 🎂 (born #OTD in 1850), a reminder that you can get a free ebook containing her short story "A Morning Walk" from the Grammaticus website:

https://grammaticus.blog/2023/03/20/free-ebook-a-morning-walk/

The ebook contains #vocabulary notes primarily intended for English language learners.

#shortstory #americanliterature #learningenglish #reading #readingskills #freebies

On Kate Chopin's birthday 🎂 (born #OTD in 1850), a reminder that you can get a free ebook containing her short story "A Morning Walk" from the Grammaticus website:

https://grammaticus.blog/2023/03/20/free-ebook-a-morning-walk/

The ebook contains #vocabulary notes primarily intended for English language learners.

#shortstory #americanliterature #learningenglish #reading #readingskills #freebies

#FreeSchoolMeals ‘cut #obesity and help #ReadingSkills’ in #England, study finds

#Labour MPs call to extend provision to every primary pupil in England after study finds #health and #learning improve
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/04/free-school-meals-cut-obesity-help-reading-skills-england-study-finds

#FreeSchoolMeals ‘cut #obesity and help #ReadingSkills’ in #England, study finds

#Labour MPs call to extend provision to every primary pupil in England after study finds #health and #learning improve
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/04/free-school-meals-cut-obesity-help-reading-skills-england-study-finds