Chapter 3 of Black Ivory is here in full — 401 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Black Ivory is here in full — 401 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow. "I is." "Isn't this jolly?" continued Harold. "No, sir, 'taint." "Why, what d'you mean?"
Chapter 3 of Black Ivory is here in full — 401 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/80 · 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.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading “"You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.”
hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading “"You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.”
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading “"Isn't this jolly?" continued Harold.”
the sound of laughing
From this reading “"You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.”
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading “"You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.”
the state of being contaminated
From this reading “"No, sir, 'taint."”
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading “"You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.”
the human face (“kisser” and “smiler” and “mug” are informal terms for “face” and “phiz” is British)
From this reading “"You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.”
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 "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
without stop or interruption
From this reading "Isn't this jolly?" continued Harold.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Why, what d'you mean?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I is."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I is."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Isn't this jolly?" continued Harold.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading "Isn't this jolly?" continued Harold.
the sound of laughing
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading "Why, what d'you mean?"
not any; not one
From this reading "No, sir, 'taint."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
term of address for a man
From this reading "No, sir, 'taint."
the state of being contaminated
From this reading "No, sir, 'taint."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Isn't this jolly?" continued Harold.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
the human face (“kisser” and “smiler” and “mug” are informal terms for “face” and “phiz” is British)
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Why, what d'you mean?"
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why, what d'you mean?"
in the company of; together with
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You seem comfortable," said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco's vast visage appeared at his elbow.
Chapter 3 of Black Ivory by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne holds 401 sentences, grouped into 81 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 401 sentences of Black Ivory, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Black Ivory by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 401 sentences, grouped into 81 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 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 81 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 Black Ivory by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3721 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21748 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21748, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 310 minutes of reading across 745 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Black Ivory section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 9 chapters of Black Ivory 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 Black Ivory, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
