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Four Girls and a Compact
Four Girls and a Compact

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Four Girls and a Compact is here in full — 217 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Four Girls and a Compact
Context Illustration Reading 1/43 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
There was a postscript.
It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript.
"P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.
I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.
I know she'll be so glad she'll throw up her hat.
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Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Four Girls and a Compact

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Four Girls and a Compact is here in full — 217 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/43 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
There was a postscript.
/ðer wɑːz ə ˈpoʊskrɪpt/
Line 2
It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript.
Line 3
"P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.
Line 4
I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.
Line 5
I know she'll be so glad she'll throw up her hat.

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.

decided adjective US /ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd/

recognizable; marked

From this reading “I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.”

Eldorado noun US /ˌeldərˈɑːdoʊ/

an imaginary place of great wealth and opportunity; sought in South America by 16th-century explorers

From this reading “"P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.”

hat noun US /hæt/

headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim

From this reading “I know she'll be so glad she'll throw up her hat.”

postscript noun US /ˈpoʊskrɪpt/

a note appended to a letter after the signature

From this reading “There was a postscript.”

straight adjective US /streɪt/

successive (without a break)

From this reading “"P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.”

substitute verb US /ˈsʌbstətuːt/

put in the place of another; switch seemingly equivalent items

From this reading “I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.”

throw verb US /θroʊ/

propel through the air

From this reading “I know she'll be so glad she'll throw up her hat.”

tumbled verb US /ˈtʌmbəld/

past form of “tumble” — fall down, as if collapsing

From this reading “"P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.”

All words in this reading · 55

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading There was a postscript.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading I know she'll be so glad she'll throw up her hat.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.

decidedadjectiveUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd/

recognizable; marked

From this reading I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.

EldoradonounUS /ˌeldərˈɑːdoʊ/

an imaginary place of great wealth and opportunity; sought in South America by 16th-century explorers

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

gladadjectiveUS /ɡlæd/

showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy

From this reading I know she'll be so glad she'll throw up her hat.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

hatnounUS /hæt/

headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim

From this reading I know she'll be so glad she'll throw up her hat.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading I know she'll be so glad she'll throw up her hat.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

I've

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

From this reading I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading I know she'll be so glad she'll throw up her hat.

letternounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.

NeveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

OnounUS /oʊ/

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

PnounUS /piː/

a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

pleaseverbUS /pliːz/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.

postscriptnounUS /ˈpoʊskrɪpt/

a note appended to a letter after the signature

From this reading There was a postscript.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

SnounUS /es/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

she'll

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

From this reading I know she'll be so glad she'll throw up her hat.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.

stayverbUS /steɪ/

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.

straightadjectiveUS /streɪt/

successive (without a break)

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

substituteverbUS /ˈsʌbstətuːt/

put in the place of another; switch seemingly equivalent items

From this reading I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.

TnounUS /tiː/

a base found in DNA (but not in RNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine

From this reading It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript.

Talentlessadjective

devoid of talent; not gifted

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There was a postscript.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

throwverbUS /θroʊ/

propel through the air

From this reading I know she'll be so glad she'll throw up her hat.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript.

tumbledverbUS /ˈtʌmbəld/

past form of “tumble” — fall down, as if collapsing

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading I know she'll be so glad she'll throw up her hat.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading There was a postscript.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading "P.S.--Never call me the Talentless One again" (as if they ever had!), "when I came straight to the Eldorado--tumbled right into it.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading I've decided to stay here until you come--please tell my substitute so.

Chapter 3 of Four Girls and a Compact by Annie Hamilton Donnell holds 217 sentences, grouped into 44 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 3 of Four Girls and a Compact contain?

Chapter 3 holds 217 sentences of Four Girls and a Compact, unabridged, divided into 44 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of Four Girls and a Compact by Annie Hamilton Donnell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 217 sentences, grouped into 44 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 3 of Four Girls and a Compact?

Work through the 44 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 44 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 3 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading Four Girls and a Compact

Common questions about reading Four Girls and a Compact by Annie Hamilton Donnell on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Four Girls and a Compact?

Yes. All 1413 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9505 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Four Girls and a Compact is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #9505, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Four Girls and a Compact take to read?

About 117 minutes of reading across 283 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Four Girls and a Compact section by section

How to work through Four Girls and a Compact section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 6 chapters of Four Girls and a Compact 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 Four Girls and a Compact

Words and structures a reader meets early in Four Girls and a Compact, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Commanded
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Four Girls and a Compact; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Loraine
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Four Girls and a Compact; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Course
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Four Girls and a Compact; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Waited
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Four Girls and a Compact; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.