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Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi
Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi is here in full — 419 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi
Context Illustration Reading 1/83 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.
He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."
He counted out another $5,000; and says I, "That will only make you even if you win."
So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.
The cards were shuffled.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi is here in full — 419 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/83 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.
/maɪ frend ˈwɔːntɪd tuː traɪ ɪt əˈɡen fɔːr aɪ meɪd hɪm bɪˈliːv ðæt hiː meɪd ðə mɪˈsteɪk hɪmˈself/
Line 2
He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."
/hiː sed ˈʃʌfəl ðem ʌp ənd aɪ wɪl meɪk juː wʌn mɔːr bet/
Line 3
He counted out another $5,000; and says I, "That will only make you even if you win."
Line 4
So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.
Line 5
The cards were shuffled.
/ðə kɑːrdz wɜːr ˈʃʌfəld/

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.

bet verb US /bet/

maintain with or as if with a bet

From this reading “He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."”

bills noun US /bɪlz/

plural of “bill” — a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading “So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.”

cards noun US /kɑːrdz/

a game played with playing cards

From this reading “The cards were shuffled.”

counted verb US /ˈkaʊntɪd/

past form of “count” — determine the number or amount of

From this reading “He counted out another $5,000; and says I, "That will only make you even if you win."”

mistake noun US /mɪˈsteɪk/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading “My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.”

Shuffle verb US /ˈʃʌfəl/

walk by dragging one's feet

From this reading “He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."”

shuffled verb US /ˈʃʌfəld/

past form of “shuffle” — walk by dragging one's feet

From this reading “The cards were shuffled.”

win verb US /wɪn/

be the winner in a contest or competition; be victorious

From this reading “He counted out another $5,000; and says I, "That will only make you even if you win."”

All words in this reading · 53

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.

100

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

From this reading So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.

3,300

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

From this reading So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.

5,000

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

From this reading He counted out another $5,000; and says I, "That will only make you even if you win."

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(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 So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading He counted out another $5,000; and says I, "That will only make you even if you win."

believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

betverbUS /bet/

maintain with or as if with a bet

From this reading He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."

billsnounUS /bɪlz/

plural of “bill” — a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.

cardsnounUS /kɑːrdz/

a game played with playing cards

From this reading The cards were shuffled.

countedverbUS /ˈkaʊntɪd/

past form of “count” — determine the number or amount of

From this reading He counted out another $5,000; and says I, "That will only make you even if you win."

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading He counted out another $5,000; and says I, "That will only make you even if you win."

exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading He counted out another $5,000; and says I, "That will only make you even if you win."

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."

mistakenounUS /mɪˈsteɪk/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."

MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading He counted out another $5,000; and says I, "That will only make you even if you win."

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading He counted out another $5,000; and says I, "That will only make you even if you win."

perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."

saysnounUS /sez/

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading He counted out another $5,000; and says I, "That will only make you even if you win."

ShuffleverbUS /ˈʃʌfəl/

walk by dragging one's feet

From this reading He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."

shuffledverbUS /ˈʃʌfəld/

past form of “shuffle” — walk by dragging one's feet

From this reading The cards were shuffled.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.

tryverbUS /traɪ/

make an effort or attempt

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."

wantedadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːntɪd/

desired or wished for or sought

From this reading My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him believe that he made the mistake himself.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The cards were shuffled.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading So he took out $3,300 more, which was all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."

winverbUS /wɪn/

be the winner in a contest or competition; be victorious

From this reading He counted out another $5,000; and says I, "That will only make you even if you win."

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading He said, "Shuffle them up, and I will make you one more bet."

Chapter 8 of Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi by George H. Devol holds 419 sentences, grouped into 84 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 8 of Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi contain?

Chapter 8 holds 419 sentences of Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi by George H. Devol exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 419 sentences, grouped into 84 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 8 of Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi?

Work through the 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 84 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi

Common questions about reading Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi by George H. Devol on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi?

Yes. All 5475 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #23587 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #23587, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi take to read?

About 456 minutes of reading across 1095 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi

Words and structures a reader meets early in Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Typesetting
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Errors
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Corrected
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Appear
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.