Chapter 3 of Blackthorn Farm is here in full — 288 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Blackthorn Farm is here in full — 288 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
SALVATION. There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock. But Ruby Strode did not hear. She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen. She sat very still, scarcely seeming to breathe.
Chapter 3 of Blackthorn Farm is here in full — 288 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/57 · 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.
movement that causes the formation of a curve
From this reading “She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.”
draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs
From this reading “She sat very still, scarcely seeming to breathe.”
deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading “There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.”
a number of sheets of paper fastened together along one edge
From this reading “She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.”
a transparent piece of ruby that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
From this reading “But Ruby Strode did not hear.”
(theology) the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil
From this reading “SALVATION.”
appearing as such but not necessarily so
From this reading “She sat very still, scarcely seeming to breathe.”
inflected form of “stride” — walk with long steps
From this reading “But Ruby Strode did not hear.”
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.
exterior door (at the entrance) at the front of a building
In this reading “There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.”
In this reading “There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.”
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 There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
movement that causes the formation of a curve
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs
From this reading She sat very still, scarcely seeming to breathe.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Ruby Strode did not hear.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But Ruby Strode did not hear.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
increase twofold
From this reading There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading But Ruby Strode did not hear.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But Ruby Strode did not hear.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
above and across; more than
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
a number of sheets of paper fastened together along one edge
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
a writing implement with a point from which ink flows
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
a transparent piece of ruby that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
From this reading But Ruby Strode did not hear.
(theology) the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil
From this reading SALVATION.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading She sat very still, scarcely seeming to breathe.
only a very short time before
From this reading She sat very still, scarcely seeming to breathe.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
appearing as such but not necessarily so
From this reading She sat very still, scarcely seeming to breathe.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
not in physical motion
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
inflected form of “stride” — walk with long steps
From this reading But Ruby Strode did not hear.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She sat very still, scarcely seeming to breathe.
precisely as stated
From this reading She sat very still, scarcely seeming to breathe.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a ring at the front door bell followed by a loud double knock.
a Caucasian
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was still seated at the writing-table bending over the large pad of white blotting-paper, in the fingers of one hand a pen.
Chapter 3 of Blackthorn Farm by Arthur Applin holds 288 sentences, grouped into 58 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 288 sentences of Blackthorn Farm, unabridged, divided into 58 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Blackthorn Farm by Arthur Applin exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 288 sentences, grouped into 58 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 58 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 58 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 Blackthorn Farm by Arthur Applin on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5795 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #42519 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #42519, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 482 minutes of reading across 1159 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Blackthorn Farm section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 28 chapters of Blackthorn Farm 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 Blackthorn Farm, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
