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Better days
Better days

Chapter XVII · “Plans of mice and men gang aft aglee.”

Chapter XVII of Better days, ““Plans of mice and men gang aft aglee.”,” is here in full — 191 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Better days
Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.
The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.
In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.
A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.
It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and talk his replies to the phonograph receiver.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Better days

Chapter XVII · “Plans of mice and men gang aft aglee.”

Chapter XVII of Better days, ““Plans of mice and men gang aft aglee.”,” is here in full — 191 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.
/ˈmɔːrnɪŋz ˈbɪznəs ˈɔːfəsəz wɜːr ɑːn ðə west saɪd ʌv ˈbrɔːdweɪ bɪˈloʊ ˈtrɪnəti tʃɜːrtʃ bʌt hiː ɡeɪv əˈtenʃən tuː hɪz lɑːrdʒ ənd ˌɪnˈkriːsɪŋ ˌkɔːrəˈspɑːndəns ɪn hɪz ruːmz æt ðə ˈhɔːfmən haʊs wer hiː hæd ə swiːt ʌv əˈpɑːrtmənts ˈfrʌntɪŋ ɑːn ˈbrɔːdweɪ/
Line 2
The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.
/ðə ˈlɑːrdʒəst ruːm ʌv ðə swiːt hæd ˈɔːlweɪz bɪn rɪˈzɜːrvd baɪ ðə prəˈpraɪətərz fɔːr ə ˈpraɪvət ˈdaɪnɪŋ ruːm bʌt ˈmɔːrnɪŋ ˌɪnˈsɪstəd əˈpɑːn ɪts ˈkɑːnstətuːtɪŋ ə pɑːrt ʌv hɪz swiːt ənd æz hiː pərˈmɪtɪd ðə hoʊˈtel ˈkiːpərz tuː neɪm ðer oʊn praɪs ɪt wɑːz rɪˈlʌktəntli sərˈendərd tuː hɪm/
Line 3
In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.
Line 4
A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.
/ə kɔːrd wɪtʃ swʌŋ ˈoʊvər ðə desk wɑːz ˈfæsənd tuː ə ˈlevər kəˈnektɪd wɪð æn ɪˈlektrɪk ˈmoʊtər ˈɔːlsoʊ ɪn ðə nekst ruːm/
Line 5
It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, andtalkhis replies to the phonograph receiver.
/ɪt wɑːz ˈmɔːrnɪŋz ˈhæbət iːtʃ deɪ ˈæftər ˈbrekfəst tuː siːt hɪmˈself æt hɪz desk ˈoʊ.pən hɪz ˈletərz pʊl ðə kɔːrd wɪtʃ ˈstɑːrtɪd ðə ɪˈlektrɪk ˈmoʊtər ənd tɔːk hɪz rɪˈplaɪz tuː ðə ˈfoʊnəɡræf rəˈsiːvər/

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.

constituting verb US /ˈkɑːnstətuːtɪŋ/

-ing form of “constitute” — form or compose

From this reading “The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.”

fronting verb US /ˈfrʌntɪŋ/

-ing form of “front” — be oriented in a certain direction, often with respect to another reference point; be opposite to

From this reading “Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.”

Hoffman noun US /ˈhɔːfmən/

United States sculptor (1887-1966)

From this reading “Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.”

keepers noun US /ˈkiːpərz/

plural of “keeper” — someone in charge of other people

From this reading “The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.”

Morning's noun US /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/

possessive form of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon

partition noun US /pɑːrˈtɪʃən/

a vertical structure that divides or separates (as a wall divides one room from another)

From this reading “In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.”

phonograph noun US /ˈfoʊnəɡræf/

machine in which rotating records cause a stylus to vibrate and the vibrations are amplified acoustically or electronically

From this reading “In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.”

proprietors noun US /prəˈpraɪətərz/

plural of “proprietor” — (law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business

From this reading “The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.”

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.

dining room noun + noun

a room used for dining

In this reading “The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.”

electric motor adjective + noun

a motor that converts electricity to mechanical work

In this reading “A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.”

insisted upon verb + particle counted as “insist upon”

In this reading “The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.”

against the partition preposition + article + noun counted as “against … partition”

In this reading “In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.”

west side noun + noun

the side that is on the west

In this reading “Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.”

next room adjective + noun

In this reading “A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.”

largest room adjective + noun counted as “large room”

In this reading “The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.”

long table adjective + noun

In this reading “In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.”

All words in this reading · 107

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 Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

adjacentadjectiveUS /əˈdʒeɪsənt/

nearest in space or position; immediately adjoining without intervening space

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and “talk” his replies to the phonograph receiver.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

apartmentsnounUS /əˈpɑːrtmənts/

plural of “apartment” — a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

breakfastverbUS /ˈbrekfəst/

eat an early morning meal

From this reading It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and “talk” his replies to the phonograph receiver.

BroadwaynounUS /ˈbrɔːdweɪ/

a street in Manhattan that passes through Times Square; famous for its theaters

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

ChurchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

connectedadjectiveUS /kəˈnektɪd/

being joined in close association

From this reading A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.

constitutingverbUS /ˈkɑːnstətuːtɪŋ/

-ing form of “constitute” — form or compose

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

cordnounUS /kɔːrd/

a line made of twisted fibers or threads

From this reading A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.

correspondencenounUS /ˌkɔːrəˈspɑːndəns/

communication by the exchange of letters

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and “talk” his replies to the phonograph receiver.

desknounUS /desk/

a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

diningnounUS /ˈdaɪnɪŋ/

the act of eating dinner

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and “talk” his replies to the phonograph receiver.

electricadjectiveUS /ɪˈlektrɪk/

using or providing or producing or transmitting or operated by electricity

From this reading A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.

fastenedadjectiveUS /ˈfæsənd/

firmly closed or secured

From this reading A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.

fittedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪtəd/

being the right size and shape to fit as desired

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

frontingverbUS /ˈfrʌntɪŋ/

-ing form of “front” — be oriented in a certain direction, often with respect to another reference point; be opposite to

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

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

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

habitnounUS /ˈhæbət/

an established custom

From this reading It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and “talk” his replies to the phonograph receiver.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and “talk” his replies to the phonograph receiver.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

HoffmannounUS /ˈhɔːfmən/

United States sculptor (1887-1966)

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

hotelnounUS /hoʊˈtel/

a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

HousenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

increasingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/

becoming greater or larger

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

insistedverbUS /ˌɪnˈsɪstəd/

past form of “insist” — be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

instrumentnounUS /ˈɪnstrəmənt/

a device that requires skill for proper use

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

keepersnounUS /ˈkiːpərz/

plural of “keeper” — someone in charge of other people

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

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

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

large-sized

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

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

largestadjectiveUS /ˈlɑːrdʒəst/

superlative of “large” — above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

lettersnounUS /ˈletərz/

the literary culture

From this reading It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and “talk” his replies to the phonograph receiver.

levernounUS /ˈlevər/

a rigid bar pivoted about a fulcrum

From this reading A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

MorningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

Morning'snounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/

possessive form of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

motornounUS /ˈmoʊtər/

machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion

From this reading A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

officesnounUS /ˈɔːfəsəz/

plural of “office” — place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and “talk” his replies to the phonograph receiver.

oppositeadjectiveUS /ˈɑːpəzət/

being directly across from each other; facing

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

partitionnounUS /pɑːrˈtɪʃən/

a vertical structure that divides or separates (as a wall divides one room from another)

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

permittedverbUS /pərˈmɪtɪd/

inflected form of “permit” — consent to, give permission

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

phonographnounUS /ˈfoʊnəɡræf/

machine in which rotating records cause a stylus to vibrate and the vibrations are amplified acoustically or electronically

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

placedadjectiveUS /pleɪst/

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

pricenounUS /praɪs/

the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

privateadjectiveUS /ˈpraɪvət/

confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

proprietorsnounUS /prəˈpraɪətərz/

plural of “proprietor” — (law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

pullverbUS /pʊl/

cause to move by pulling

From this reading It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and “talk” his replies to the phonograph receiver.

receivernounUS /rəˈsiːvər/

set that receives radio or tv signals

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

reluctantlyadverbUS /rɪˈlʌktəntli/

with reluctance

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

repliesnounUS /rɪˈplaɪz/

plural of “reply” — a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation

From this reading It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and “talk” his replies to the phonograph receiver.

reservedadjectiveUS /rɪˈzɜːrvd/

set aside for the use of a particular person or party

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

roomsnounUS /ruːmz/

apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

seatnounUS /siːt/

a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)

From this reading It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and “talk” his replies to the phonograph receiver.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

startedverbUS /ˈstɑːrtɪd/

past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and “talk” his replies to the phonograph receiver.

suitenounUS /swiːt/

a musical composition of several movements only loosely connected

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

surrenderedverbUS /sərˈendərd/

past form of “surrender” — give up or agree to forgo to the power or possession of another

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

swungverbUS /swʌŋ/

inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting

From this reading A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

talkverbUS /tɔːk/

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading It was Morning’s habit each day after breakfast to seat himself at his desk, open his letters, pull the cord which started the electric motor, and “talk” his replies to the phonograph receiver.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

TrinitynounUS /ˈtrɪnəti/

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

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

wallnounUS /wɔːl/

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading In this room Morning had a large-sized phonograph receiver fitted into the wall opposite his desk, the instrument itself being placed upon a long table against the partition in the adjacent room.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The largest room of the suite had always been reserved by the proprietors for a private dining room, but Morning insisted upon its constituting a part of his suite, and as he permitted the hotel keepers to name their own price, it was reluctantly surrendered to him.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

westnounUS /west/

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Morning’s business offices were on the west side of Broadway, below Trinity Church, but he gave attention to his large and increasing correspondence in his rooms at the Hoffman House, where he had a suite of apartments fronting on Broadway.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading A cord which swung over the desk was fastened to a lever connected with an electric motor, also in the next room.

Chapter 17 of Better days by Thomas Fitch holds 191 sentences, grouped into 39 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 17 of Better days contain?

Chapter 17 holds 191 sentences of Better days, unabridged, divided into 39 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of Better days by Thomas Fitch exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 191 sentences, grouped into 39 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 17 of Better days?

Work through the 39 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 39 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 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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 Better days

Common questions about reading Better days by Thomas Fitch on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Better days?

Yes. All 3662 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #67835 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Better days is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #67835, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Better days take to read?

About 305 minutes of reading across 733 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Better days section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 28 chapters of Better days 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 Better days

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

Earth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Better days; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Trembled
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Better days; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Underneath
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Better days; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chicago
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Better days; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.