Chapter 3 of A Furnace of Earth is here in full — 476 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of A Furnace of Earth is here in full — 476 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours. It has quite made a new dog of Birdo.” “Thet so?” inquired the newcomer, with interest. “Et’s a powerful good salve.” His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
Chapter 3 of A Furnace of Earth is here in full — 476 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/95 · 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.
resembling or made to resemble leather; tough but pliable
From this reading “His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.”
a surface coating for ceramics or porcelain
From this reading “His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.”
unhurried and relaxed
From this reading “His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.”
any new participant in some activity
From this reading ““Thet so?” inquired the newcomer, with interest.”
semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation
From this reading ““Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours.”
get rid of
From this reading “His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.”
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading “His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.”
past form of “twinkle” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading “His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.”
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.
a stiff hat made of straw with a flat crown
In this reading “His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.”
In this reading “His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.”
In this reading ““Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours.”
In this reading “His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.”
In this reading “His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It has quite made a new dog of Birdo.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has quite made a new dog of Birdo.”
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
rid of obstructions
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours.
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading It has quite made a new dog of Birdo.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Et’s a powerful good salve.”
opinion or judgment
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading “Et’s a powerful good salve.”
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It has quite made a new dog of Birdo.”
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading “Thet so?” inquired the newcomer, with interest.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading “Thet so?” inquired the newcomer, with interest.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It has quite made a new dog of Birdo.”
resembling or made to resemble leather; tough but pliable
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
a surface coating for ceramics or porcelain
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading It has quite made a new dog of Birdo.”
unhurried and relaxed
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading “Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading It has quite made a new dog of Birdo.”
any new participant in some activity
From this reading “Thet so?” inquired the newcomer, with interest.
under a moral obligation to do something
From this reading “Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading “Et’s a powerful good salve.”
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading It has quite made a new dog of Birdo.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours.
semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation
From this reading “Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours.
get rid of
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “Thet so?” inquired the newcomer, with interest.
spreading out in different directions or distributed irregularly
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Thet so?” inquired the newcomer, with interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Thet so?” inquired the newcomer, with interest.
past form of “twinkle” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
in or at the place that
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Thet so?” inquired the newcomer, with interest.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading His straggling yellow beard and much-battered straw hat shed a mellow lustre on his leathery, sun-tanned face, where twinkled clear blue eyes.
the one or ones belonging to the person spoken to
From this reading “Ah, Condy,” he said, “much obliged for that salve of yours.
Chapter 3 of A Furnace of Earth by Hallie Erminie Rives holds 476 sentences, grouped into 96 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 476 sentences of A Furnace of Earth, unabridged, divided into 96 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of A Furnace of Earth by Hallie Erminie Rives exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 476 sentences, grouped into 96 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 96 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 96 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 Furnace of Earth by Hallie Erminie Rives on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2751 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #62707 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #62707, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 229 minutes of reading across 551 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through A Furnace of Earth section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 6 chapters of A Furnace of Earth 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 Furnace of Earth, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
