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Arrowsmith
Arrowsmith

Chapter XXIII

Chapter 23 of Arrowsmith is here in full — 304 sentences across 61 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/60 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.
He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.
The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.
Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.
Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Arrowsmith

Chapter XXIII

Chapter 23 of Arrowsmith is here in full — 304 sentences across 61 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/60 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.
Line 2
He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.
Line 3
The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.
Line 4
Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.
Line 5
Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.
/ˈɔːlsoʊ hiː ɡeɪv θɔːt tuː ðə ˈkɪlɪŋ ʌv ræts ənd fliːz ənd hiː rɪˈɡɑːrdɪd ðə ˈvaɪtəl stəˈtɪstɪks æz ˈsʌmθɪŋ mɔːr ðæn ə rəˈkɔːrdɪŋ ʌv bɜːrθs ənd deθs/

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.

births noun US /bɜːrθs/

plural of “birth” — the time when something begins (especially life)

From this reading “Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.”

fleas noun US /fliːz/

plural of “flea” — any wingless bloodsucking parasitic insect noted for ability to leap

From this reading “Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.”

inspectors noun US /ˌɪnˈspektərz/

plural of “inspector” — a high ranking police officer

From this reading “Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.”

plumbing noun US /ˈplʌmɪŋ/

utility consisting of the pipes and fixtures for the distribution of water or gas in a building and for the disposal of sewage

From this reading “Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.”

quarantines noun US /ˈkwɔːrəntiːnz/

plural of “quarantine” — enforced isolation of patients suffering from a contagious disease in order to prevent the spread of disease

From this reading “The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.”

recording noun US /rəˈkɔːrdɪŋ/

a signal that encodes something (e.g., picture or sound) that has been recorded

From this reading “Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.”

Silva noun US /ˈsɪlvə/

the forest trees growing in a country or region

From this reading “He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.”

statistics noun US /stəˈtɪstɪks/

a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters

From this reading “Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

went on verb + particle counted as “go on”

continue a certain state, condition, or activity

In this reading “The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.”

showed any verb + adjective counted as “show any”

In this reading “I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.”

All words in this reading · 89

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 He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

abilitynounUS /əˈbɪlətiː/

the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

AlsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

anti-tuberculosis

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

From this reading The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

assistantnounUS /əˈsɪstənt/

a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

babiesnounUS /ˈbeɪbiz/

plural of “baby” — a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.

birthsnounUS /bɜːrθs/

plural of “birth” — the time when something begins (especially life)

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

buoyantadjectiveUS /ˈbɔɪənt/

tending to float on a liquid or rise in air or gas

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

cannot

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

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

changedadjectiveUS /tʃeɪndʒd/

made or become different in nature or form

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

choseverbUS /tʃoʊz/

inflected form of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

colonynounUS /ˈkɑːləni/

a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

completelyadverbUS /kəmˈpliːtli/

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

considerableadjectiveUS /kənˈsɪdərəbəl/

large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

DeannounUS /diːn/

an administrator in charge of a division of a university or college

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

deathsnounUS /deθs/

plural of “death” — the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

DepartmentnounUS /dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/

a specialized division of a large organization

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

displeasurenounUS /dɪˈspleʒər/

the feeling of being displeased or annoyed or dissatisfied with someone or something

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

districtnounUS /ˈdɪstrɪkt/

a region marked off for administrative or other purposes

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

Dr

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

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

examinationnounUS /ɪɡˌzæməˈneɪʃən/

the act of examining something closely (as for mistakes)

From this reading The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.

faithnounUS /feɪθ/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

fleasnounUS /fliːz/

plural of “flea” — any wingless bloodsucking parasitic insect noted for ability to leap

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

foodnounUS /fuːd/

any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

GermansnounUS /ˈdʒɜːrmənz/

plural of “german” — a person of German nationality

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

HealthnounUS /helθ/

a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

Homedale

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

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

InspectionnounUS /ˌɪnˈspekʃən/

a formal or official examination

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

inspectorsnounUS /ˌɪnˈspektərz/

plural of “inspector” — a high ranking police officer

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

killingnounUS /ˈkɪlɪŋ/

an event that causes someone to die

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

lackedverbUS /lækt/

past form of “lack” — be without

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

livelyadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪvli/

full of life and energy

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

MartinnounUS /ˈmɑːrtən/

French bishop who is a patron saint of France (died in 397)

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

Ockford

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

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

organizationnounUS /ˌɔːrɡənəˈzeɪʃən/

a group of people who work together

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

Pickerbaugh's

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

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

placarding

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

From this reading The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.

plumbingnounUS /ˈplʌmɪŋ/

utility consisting of the pipes and fixtures for the distribution of water or gas in a building and for the disposal of sewage

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

PublicnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

quarantinesnounUS /ˈkwɔːrəntiːnz/

plural of “quarantine” — enforced isolation of patients suffering from a contagious disease in order to prevent the spread of disease

From this reading The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.

ratsnounUS /ræts/

plural of “rat” — any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

recommendedverbUS /ˌrekəˈmendɪd/

past form of “recommend” — push for something

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

recordingnounUS /rəˈkɔːrdɪŋ/

a signal that encodes something (e.g., picture or sound) that has been recorded

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

regardedverbUS /rɪˈɡɑːrdɪd/

past form of “regard” — deem to be

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

replacedverbUS /ˌriːˈpleɪst/

past form of “replace” — substitute a person or thing for (another that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working or yielding what is expected)

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

routinenounUS /ruːˈtiːn/

an unvarying or habitual method or procedure

From this reading The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.

Rufus

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

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

showedverbUS /ʃoʊd/

past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

SilvanounUS /ˈsɪlvə/

the forest trees growing in a country or region

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

statisticsnounUS /stəˈtɪstɪks/

a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

thoroughadjectiveUS /ˈθɜːroʊ/

painstakingly careful and accurate

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

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

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading I It cannot be said that Martin showed any large ability for organization, but under him the Department of Public Health changed completely.

vitaladjectiveUS /ˈvaɪtəl/

urgently needed; absolutely necessary

From this reading Also he gave thought to the killing of rats and fleas, and he regarded the vital statistics as something more than a recording of births and deaths.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Inspection of plumbing and food was perhaps more thorough, because Martin lacked Pickerbaugh’s buoyant faith in the lay inspectors, and one of them he replaced, to the considerable displeasure of the colony of Germans in the Homedale district.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.

Winnemac

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

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading The routine work, examination of babies, quarantines, anti-tuberculosis placarding, went on as before.

youngsternounUS /ˈjʌŋstər/

a young person of either sex

From this reading He chose as his assistant Dr. Rufus Ockford, a lively youngster recommended by Dean Silva of Winnemac.

Chapter 23 of Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis holds 304 sentences, grouped into 61 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 23 of Arrowsmith contain?

Chapter 23 holds 304 sentences of Arrowsmith, unabridged, divided into 61 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 23 of Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 304 sentences, grouped into 61 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 23 of Arrowsmith?

Work through the 61 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 61 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 23 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 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 Arrowsmith

Common questions about reading Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Arrowsmith?

Yes. All 9353 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #70875 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Arrowsmith is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #70875, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Arrowsmith take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1871 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Arrowsmith section by section

How to work through Arrowsmith section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of Arrowsmith 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 Arrowsmith

Words and structures a reader meets early in Arrowsmith, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Driver
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Arrowsmith; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wagon
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Arrowsmith; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Swaying
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Arrowsmith; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Through
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Arrowsmith; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.