Chapter 3 of Embarrassments is here in full — 414 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Embarrassments is here in full — 414 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded. “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night. But I can’t help her at all; she’ll take nothing from me. You know what she does--she hugs me and runs away. She has an instinct about me, she feels that I’ve one about her.
Chapter 3 of Embarrassments is here in full — 414 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 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.
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading ““Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.”
past form of “demand” — request urgently and forcefully
From this reading ““How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded.”
plural of “feel” — an intuitive awareness
From this reading “She has an instinct about me, she feels that I’ve one about her.”
plural of “hug” — a tight or amorous embrace
From this reading “You know what she does--she hugs me and runs away.”
full of or characterized by humor
From this reading ““How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded.”
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading “She has an instinct about me, she feels that I’ve one about her.”
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading ““Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.”
plural of “run” — a score in baseball made by a runner touching all four bases safely
From this reading “You know what she does--she hugs me and runs away.”
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.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She has an instinct about me, she feels that I’ve one about her.
(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 But I can’t help her at all; she’ll take nothing from me.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She has an instinct about me, she feels that I’ve one about her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading You know what she does--she hugs me and runs away.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading You know what she does--she hugs me and runs away.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But I can’t help her at all; she’ll take nothing from me.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I can’t help her at all; she’ll take nothing from me.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
past form of “demand” — request urgently and forcefully
From this reading “How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded.
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading You know what she does--she hugs me and runs away.
plural of “feel” — an intuitive awareness
From this reading She has an instinct about me, she feels that I’ve one about her.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading “How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading But I can’t help her at all; she’ll take nothing from me.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded.
plural of “hug” — a tight or amorous embrace
From this reading You know what she does--she hugs me and runs away.
full of or characterized by humor
From this reading “How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading She has an instinct about me, she feels that I’ve one about her.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading But I can’t help her at all; she’ll take nothing from me.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She has an instinct about me, she feels that I’ve one about her.
plural of “run” — a score in baseball made by a runner touching all four bases safely
From this reading You know what she does--she hugs me and runs away.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading You know what she does--she hugs me and runs away.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I can’t help her at all; she’ll take nothing from me.
carry out
From this reading But I can’t help her at all; she’ll take nothing from me.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She has an instinct about me, she feels that I’ve one about her.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading “Of course I’ve thought how I can help her--it has kept me awake at night.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “How do you know what I wouldn’t do?” my humorous friend demanded.
Chapter 3 of Embarrassments by Henry James holds 414 sentences, grouped into 83 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 414 sentences of Embarrassments, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Embarrassments by Henry James exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 414 sentences, grouped into 83 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 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 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 Embarrassments by Henry James on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2945 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21932 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21932, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 245 minutes of reading across 589 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Embarrassments section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 7 chapters of Embarrassments 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 Embarrassments, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
