Chapter 3 of A Double Barrelled Detective Story is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of A Double Barrelled Detective Story is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way. Glad? 'George! it ain't any name for it. Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system. But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.”
Chapter 3 of A Double Barrelled Detective Story is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/83 · 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.
dense vegetation consisting of stunted trees or bushes
From this reading “But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.””
inflected form of “learn” — gain knowledge or skills
From this reading “Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.”
not caught with the senses or the mind
From this reading “But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.””
common sense
From this reading “Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.”
a sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow)
From this reading “But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.””
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading ““I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way.”
instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity
From this reading “Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.”
buildings for carrying on industrial labor
From this reading “Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.””
observe with special attention
In this reading “Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.”
In this reading “But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.””
not act or do anything
In this reading “Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.”
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 'George! it ain't any name for it.
(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 “I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading 'George! it ain't any name for it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.”
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
dense vegetation consisting of stunted trees or bushes
From this reading But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading 'George! it ain't any name for it.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading 'George! it ain't any name for it.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading “I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading 'George! it ain't any name for it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way.
and nothing more
From this reading But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.”
inflected form of “learn” — gain knowledge or skills
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
not caught with the senses or the mind
From this reading But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.”
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading 'George! it ain't any name for it.
not any; not one
From this reading But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.”
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
common sense
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way.
a sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow)
From this reading But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.”
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading “I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
be standing; be upright
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
carry out
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
a special situation
From this reading But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading “I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.”
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading “I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I reckon we're all of us glad it's turned out this way.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.”
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading But no; he went poking up into the chaparral and just missed the whole thing.”
buildings for carrying on industrial labor
From this reading Dontchuknow, Archy could 've learnt something if he'd had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system.
Chapter 3 of A Double Barrelled Detective Story by Mark Twain holds 416 sentences, grouped into 84 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 3 holds 416 sentences of A Double Barrelled Detective Story, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of A Double Barrelled Detective Story by Mark Twain exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 416 sentences, grouped into 84 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 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 84 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 3 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 A Double Barrelled Detective Story by Mark Twain on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1257 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3180 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #3180, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 104 minutes of reading across 252 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through A Double Barrelled Detective Story section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 3 chapters of A Double Barrelled Detective Story 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 A Double Barrelled Detective Story, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
