Chapter 3 of Harlequin and Columbine is here in full — 412 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 Harlequin and Columbine is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Potter relapsed into his chair in an attitude of gloom. “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy. “For vaudeville! I'd better go to farming at once; I often think of it. What sort of an act is it that Miss Lyston prefers to remaining with me?
Chapter 3 of Harlequin and Columbine is here in full — 412 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.
the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock
From this reading “I'd better go to farming at once; I often think of it.”
having branches or flower heads that bend downward
From this reading ““So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.”
do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly
From this reading “Potter relapsed into his chair in an attitude of gloom.”
possessive form of “potter” — a craftsman who shapes pottery on a potter's wheel and bakes them it a kiln
From this reading ““So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.”
third-person singular of “prefer” — like better; value more highly
From this reading “What sort of an act is it that Miss Lyston prefers to remaining with me?”
past form of “relapse” — deteriorate in health
From this reading “Potter relapsed into his chair in an attitude of gloom.”
English inventor and pioneer in photography who published the first book illustrated with photographs (1800-1877)
From this reading ““So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.”
a variety show with songs and comic acts etc.
From this reading ““For vaudeville!”
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.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading What sort of an act is it that Miss Lyston prefers to remaining with me?
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Potter relapsed into his chair in an attitude of gloom.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I'd better go to farming at once; I often think of it.
a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways
From this reading Potter relapsed into his chair in an attitude of gloom.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading I'd better go to farming at once; I often think of it.
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading Potter relapsed into his chair in an attitude of gloom.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock
From this reading I'd better go to farming at once; I often think of it.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “For vaudeville!
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading Potter relapsed into his chair in an attitude of gloom.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I'd better go to farming at once; I often think of it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Potter relapsed into his chair in an attitude of gloom.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I'd better go to farming at once; I often think of it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'd better go to farming at once; I often think of it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Potter relapsed into his chair in an attitude of gloom.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Potter relapsed into his chair in an attitude of gloom.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What sort of an act is it that Miss Lyston prefers to remaining with me?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I'd better go to farming at once; I often think of it.
go away from a place
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What sort of an act is it that Miss Lyston prefers to remaining with me?
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading What sort of an act is it that Miss Lyston prefers to remaining with me?
a feeling of thoughtful sadness
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading What sort of an act is it that Miss Lyston prefers to remaining with me?
having branches or flower heads that bend downward
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Potter relapsed into his chair in an attitude of gloom.
many times at short intervals
From this reading I'd better go to farming at once; I often think of it.
on one occasion
From this reading I'd better go to farming at once; I often think of it.
do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly
From this reading Potter relapsed into his chair in an attitude of gloom.
possessive form of “potter” — a craftsman who shapes pottery on a potter's wheel and bakes them it a kiln
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
third-person singular of “prefer” — like better; value more highly
From this reading What sort of an act is it that Miss Lyston prefers to remaining with me?
past form of “relapse” — deteriorate in health
From this reading Potter relapsed into his chair in an attitude of gloom.
not used up
From this reading What sort of an act is it that Miss Lyston prefers to remaining with me?
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading What sort of an act is it that Miss Lyston prefers to remaining with me?
English inventor and pioneer in photography who published the first book illustrated with photographs (1800-1877)
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading What sort of an act is it that Miss Lyston prefers to remaining with me?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading I'd better go to farming at once; I often think of it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
a variety show with songs and comic acts etc.
From this reading “For vaudeville!
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What sort of an act is it that Miss Lyston prefers to remaining with me?
in the company of; together with
From this reading “So they've begun to leave Talbot Potter's company!” he said, nodding his head with bitter melancholy.
Chapter 3 of Harlequin and Columbine by Booth Tarkington holds 412 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 412 sentences of Harlequin and Columbine, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Harlequin and Columbine by Booth Tarkington exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 412 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 Harlequin and Columbine by Booth Tarkington on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1679 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6401 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #6401, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 139 minutes of reading across 336 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Harlequin and Columbine section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 4 chapters of Harlequin and Columbine 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 Harlequin and Columbine, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
