Chapter 3 of Famous Modern Ghost Stories is here in full — 407 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Famous Modern Ghost Stories is here in full — 407 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"And what do you propose?" I began again. "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start. But--I see no chance of any other victim now." I stared blankly at him.
Chapter 3 of Famous Modern Ghost Stories is here in full — 407 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 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.
in a blank and uncomprehending manner
From this reading “I stared blankly at him.”
destroy completely
From this reading “"A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.”
-ing form of “distract” — draw someone's attention away from something
From this reading “"A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.”
make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading “"And what do you propose?"”
the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.
From this reading “"A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.”
a vehicle mounted on runners and pulled by horses or dogs; for transportation over snow
From this reading “"A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.”
an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance
From this reading “"A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.”
plural of “wolf” — any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs
From this reading “"A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.”
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 "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
anew
From this reading I began again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "And what do you propose?"
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading But--I see no chance of any other victim now."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I stared blankly at him.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading I began again.
in a blank and uncomprehending manner
From this reading I stared blankly at him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But--I see no chance of any other victim now."
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading But--I see no chance of any other victim now."
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
destroy completely
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
-ing form of “distract” — draw someone's attention away from something
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "And what do you propose?"
plural of “dog” — a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I stared blankly at him.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I began again.
and nothing more
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
not any; not one
From this reading But--I see no chance of any other victim now."
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading But--I see no chance of any other victim now."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But--I see no chance of any other victim now."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading But--I see no chance of any other victim now."
make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading "And what do you propose?"
the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
except for; apart from
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading But--I see no chance of any other victim now."
a vehicle mounted on runners and pulled by horses or dogs; for transportation over snow
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading I stared blankly at him.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
up to a particular time
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "And what do you propose?"
plural of “wolf” — any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs
From this reading "A sacrifice, a victim, might save us by distracting them until we could get away," he went on, "just as the wolves stop to devour the dogs and give the sleigh another start.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "And what do you propose?"
Chapter 3 of Famous Modern Ghost Stories by Dorothy [Compiler] Scarborough holds 407 sentences, grouped into 82 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 407 sentences of Famous Modern Ghost Stories, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Famous Modern Ghost Stories by Dorothy [Compiler] Scarborough exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 407 sentences, grouped into 82 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 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 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 5749 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #15143 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #15143, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 479 minutes of reading across 1150 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Famous Modern Ghost Stories section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 14 chapters of Famous Modern Ghost Stories 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 Famous Modern Ghost Stories, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
