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Elmer Gantry
Elmer Gantry

Chapter XV

Chapter 15 of Elmer Gantry is here in full — 390 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/78 · 5 lines
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I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.
People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.
But they could be healed constantly, and of the same disease.
Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.
Sharon came to it by accident.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Elmer Gantry

Chapter XV

Chapter 15 of Elmer Gantry is here in full — 390 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/78 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.
Line 2
People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.
/ˈpiːpəl wɜːr ˈtaɪərd ʌv ˈel.ə.kwəns ənd ðə hoʊl ɪˈvændʒəlɪst ˈbɪznəs wɑːz ˈlɪmətəd sɪns ˈiːvɪn ðə moʊst ˈɑːrdənt wɜːr nɑːt ˈlaɪkli tuː biː seɪvd mɔːr ðæn θriː ɔːr fɔːr taɪmz/
Line 3
But they could be healed constantly, and of the same disease.
/bʌt ðeɪ kʊd biː hiːld ˈkɑːnstəntli ənd ʌv ðə seɪm dɪˈziːz/
Line 4
Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.
Line 5
Sharon came to it by accident.

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.

advertised adjective US /ˈædvərtaɪzd/

called to public attention

From this reading “Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.”

eminence noun US /ˈemənəns/

high status importance owing to marked superiority

From this reading “I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.”

evangelist noun US /ɪˈvændʒəlɪst/

a preacher of the Christian gospel

From this reading “I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.”

evangelists noun US /ɪˈvændʒəlɪsts/

plural of “evangelist” — a preacher of the Christian gospel

From this reading “Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.”

healed adjective US /hiːld/

freed from illness or injury

From this reading “But they could be healed constantly, and of the same disease.”

healing noun US /ˈhiːlɪŋ/

the natural process by which the body repairs itself

From this reading “I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.”

renowned adjective US /rɪˈnaʊnd/

widely known and esteemed

From this reading “I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.”

Scientists noun US /ˈsaɪəntɪsts/

plural of “scientist” — a person with advanced knowledge of one or more sciences

From this reading “Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.”

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.

most renowned adverb + adjective

In this reading “I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.”

most ardent adverb + adjective

In this reading “People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.”

four times noun + noun

by a factor of four

In this reading “People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.”

by accident preposition + noun

In this reading “Sharon came to it by accident.”

chief feature noun + noun

In this reading “Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.”

All words in this reading · 66

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.

1910

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

From this reading Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.

accidentnounUS /ˈæksədənt/

an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury

From this reading Sharon came to it by accident.

advertisedadjectiveUS /ˈædvərtaɪzd/

called to public attention

From this reading Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.

AmericanounUS /əˈmerəkə/

North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

ardentadjectiveUS /ˈɑːrdənt/

characterized by intense emotion

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

becomeverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Sharon came to it by accident.

chiefnounUS /tʃiːf/

a person who is in charge

From this reading Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.

chieflyadverbUS /ˈtʃiːfli/

for the most part

From this reading Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.

ChristianadjectiveUS /ˈkrɪstʃən/

relating to or characteristic of Christianity

From this reading Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.

constantlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnstəntli/

without variation or change, in every case

From this reading But they could be healed constantly, and of the same disease.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading But they could be healed constantly, and of the same disease.

diseasenounUS /dɪˈziːz/

an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning

From this reading But they could be healed constantly, and of the same disease.

eloquencenounUS /ˈel.ə.kwəns/

Fluent, persuasive, and graceful speaking or writing. (Sự hùng biện, tài ăn nói lưu loát.)

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

eminencenounUS /ˈemənəns/

high status importance owing to marked superiority

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

evangelistnounUS /ɪˈvændʒəlɪst/

a preacher of the Christian gospel

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

evangelistsnounUS /ɪˈvændʒəlɪsts/

plural of “evangelist” — a preacher of the Christian gospel

From this reading Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

featurenounUS /ˈfiːtʃər/

a prominent attribute or aspect of something

From this reading Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.

fournounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

healedadjectiveUS /hiːld/

freed from illness or injury

From this reading But they could be healed constantly, and of the same disease.

healingnounUS /ˈhiːlɪŋ/

the natural process by which the body repairs itself

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

ITpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.

likelyadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪkli/

has a good chance of being the case or of coming about

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

limitedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪmətəd/

small in range or scope

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

PeoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

promisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

raisedadjectiveUS /reɪzd/

located or moved above the surround or above the normal position

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

renownedadjectiveUS /rɪˈnaʊnd/

widely known and esteemed

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading But they could be healed constantly, and of the same disease.

savedadjectiveUS /seɪvd/

rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

ScientistsnounUS /ˈsaɪəntɪsts/

plural of “scientist” — a person with advanced knowledge of one or more sciences

From this reading Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.

Sharon

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

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

sickadjectiveUS /sɪk/

affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading But they could be healed constantly, and of the same disease.

Thoughters

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

From this reading Healing was later to become the chief feature of many evangelists, but in 1910 it was advertised chiefly by Christian Scientists and the New Thoughters.

threenounUS /θriː/

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

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/

depleted of strength or energy

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading I IT was not her eloquence but her healing of the sick which raised Sharon to such eminence that she promised to become the most renowned evangelist in America.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.

Chapter 15 of Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis holds 390 sentences, grouped into 78 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 15 of Elmer Gantry contain?

Chapter 15 holds 390 sentences of Elmer Gantry, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 390 sentences, grouped into 78 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 15 of Elmer Gantry?

Work through the 78 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 78 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 Elmer Gantry

Common questions about reading Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Elmer Gantry?

Yes. All 9683 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #72609 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Elmer Gantry is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #72609, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Elmer Gantry take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1937 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Elmer Gantry section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 33 chapters of Elmer Gantry 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 Elmer Gantry

Words and structures a reader meets early in Elmer Gantry, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Mencken
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elmer Gantry; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Profound
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elmer Gantry; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Admiration
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elmer Gantry; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Character
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elmer Gantry; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.