Chapter 3 of Damned If You Don't is here in full — 457 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Damned If You Don't is here in full — 457 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low. "I like to think so, Mr. Secretary." He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him. And he recognized the fact that they _did_ soften him. All right--what was the argument?
Chapter 3 of Damned If You Don't is here in full — 457 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/91 · 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.
a fact or assertion offered as evidence that something is true
From this reading “All right--what was the argument?”
movement that causes the formation of a curve
From this reading “Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low.”
carefully thought out in advance
From this reading “He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.”
denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important
From this reading “He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.”
-ing form of “prepare” — make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc
From this reading “He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.”
possessive form of “secretary” — a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading “Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low.”
make (images or sounds) soft or softer
From this reading “He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.”
plural of “statement” — a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc
From this reading “He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.”
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.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading All right--what was the argument?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low.
a fact or assertion offered as evidence that something is true
From this reading All right--what was the argument?
movement that causes the formation of a curve
From this reading Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low.
carefully thought out in advance
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading And he recognized the fact that they _did_ soften him.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading And he recognized the fact that they _did_ soften him.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I like to think so, Mr. Secretary."
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low.
take somebody somewhere
From this reading Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "I like to think so, Mr. Secretary."
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "I like to think so, Mr. Secretary."
denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
-ing form of “prepare” — make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
generally approved or compelling recognition
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
precisely, exactly
From this reading All right--what was the argument?
a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low.
a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading "I like to think so, Mr. Secretary."
possessive form of “secretary” — a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "I like to think so, Mr. Secretary."
make (images or sounds) soft or softer
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
plural of “statement” — a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And he recognized the fact that they _did_ soften him.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I like to think so, Mr. Secretary."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I like to think so, Mr. Secretary."
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Sam Bending followed the Secretary's lead, and kept his voice low.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He recognized that Condley was preparing him for something, and he recognized that the preliminary statements were calculated to soften him.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading All right--what was the argument?
Chapter 3 of Damned If You Don't by Randall Garrett holds 457 sentences, grouped into 92 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 457 sentences of Damned If You Don't, unabridged, divided into 92 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Damned If You Don't by Randall Garrett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 457 sentences, grouped into 92 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 92 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 92 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 Damned If You Don't by Randall Garrett on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1360 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24064 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #24064, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 113 minutes of reading across 272 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Damned If You Don't section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 3 chapters of Damned If You Don't 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 Damned If You Don't, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
