Chapter 3 of Christmas Candles: Plays for Boys and Girls is here in full — 425 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Christmas Candles: Plays for Boys and Girls is here in full — 425 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
MOTHER. Hush, children. Don't quarrel. [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE. Will you tell us a story, Toinette?
Chapter 3 of Christmas Candles: Plays for Boys and Girls is here in full — 425 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/85 · 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.
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading “[_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.”
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading “[_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.”
made from residue of grapes or apples after pressing
From this reading “[_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.”
full of difficulty or confusion or bewilderment
From this reading “[_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.”
capital of the state of South Dakota; located in central South Dakota on the Missouri river
From this reading “[_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.”
plural of “shake” — building material used as siding or roofing
third-person singular of “sit” — be seated
-ing form of “whittle” — cut small bits or pare shavings from
From this reading “[_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.”
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.
take a seat
In this reading “[_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.”
In this reading “[_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.”
In this reading “[_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.”
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 Will you tell us a story, Toinette?
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Hush, children.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Don't quarrel.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
to come or go into
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
start firing a weapon
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
become quiet or still; fall silent
From this reading Hush, children.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
plural of “lie” — a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
made from residue of grapes or apples after pressing
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading MOTHER.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
full of difficulty or confusion or bewilderment
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
capital of the state of South Dakota; located in central South Dakota on the Missouri river
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
an angry dispute
From this reading Don't quarrel.
in an unfortunate way
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
plural of “shake” — building material used as siding or roofing
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
third-person singular of “sit” — be seated
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Will you tell us a story, Toinette?
express in words
From this reading Will you tell us a story, Toinette?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Will you tell us a story, Toinette?
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Will you tell us a story, Toinette?
-ing form of “whittle” — cut small bits or pare shavings from
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Will you tell us a story, Toinette?
in the company of; together with
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading [_Shakes her head sadly and looks perplexed._] [_Enter_ PIERRE _and_ MARC, _the latter with knife and bits of wood._ MARC _sits down against the fireplace, whittling._ PIERRE _lies at full length before the fire._ JEANNETTE.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Will you tell us a story, Toinette?
Chapter 3 of Christmas Candles: Plays for Boys and Girls by Elsie Hobart Carter holds 425 sentences, grouped into 85 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 425 sentences of Christmas Candles: Plays for Boys and Girls, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Christmas Candles: Plays for Boys and Girls by Elsie Hobart Carter exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 425 sentences, grouped into 85 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 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 85 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.
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Yes. All 8248 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #58546 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #58546, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1650 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Christmas Candles: Plays for Boys and Girls section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 20 chapters of Christmas Candles: Plays for Boys and Girls 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 Christmas Candles: Plays for Boys and Girls, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
