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How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays
How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays is here in full — 171 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 17/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
They seem to come under the head of what I named Mental Telegraphy in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]
Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr. George W. Cable.
In Montreal we were honored with a reception.
It began at two in the afternoon in a long drawing-room in the Windsor Hotel.
Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays is here in full — 171 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 17/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 81–85

Line 1
They seem to come under the head of what I namedMental Telegraphyin a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitledMental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]
Line 2
Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr. George W. Cable.
/ˈsevrəl jɪrz əˈɡoʊ aɪ meɪd ə kæmˈpeɪn ɑːn ðə ˈplætfɔːrm wɪð ˈmɪstər dʒɔːrdʒ ˈdʌbəljuː ˈkeɪbəl/
Line 3
In Montreal we were honored with a reception.
/ɪn ˌmʌntriˈɔːl wiː wɜːr ˈɑːnərd wɪð ə rɪˈsepʃən/
Line 4
It began at two in the afternoon in a long drawing-room in the Windsor Hotel.
Line 5
Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.
/ˈmɪstər ˈkeɪbəl ənd aɪ stʊd æt wʌn end ʌv ðɪs ruːm ənd ðə ˈleɪdiz ənd ˈdʒentəlmɪn ˈentərd ɪt æt ðə ˈʌðər end krɔːst ɪt æt ðæt end ðen keɪm ʌp ðə lɔːŋ ˌleftˈhænd saɪd ʃʊk hændz wɪð ʌs sed ə wɜːrd ɔːr tuː ənd pæst ɑːn ɪn ðə ˈjuːʒəwəl weɪ/

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.

Cable noun US /ˈkeɪbəl/

a telegram sent abroad

From this reading “Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr. George W. Cable.”

Claimant noun US /ˈkleɪmənt/

someone who claims a benefit or right or title

From this reading “They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]”

Harper's noun US /ˈhɑːrpərz/

possessive form of “harper” — someone who plays the harp

From this reading “They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]”

honored adjective US /ˈɑːnərd/

having an illustrious reputation; respected

From this reading “In Montreal we were honored with a reception.”

left-hand adjective US /ˌleftˈhænd/

intended for the left hand

From this reading “Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.”

Montreal noun US /ˌmʌntriˈɔːl/

a city in southern Quebec province on the Saint Lawrence River; the largest city in Quebec and 2nd largest in Canada; the 2nd largest French-speaking city in the world

From this reading “In Montreal we were honored with a reception.”

Sketches noun US /ˈsketʃəz/

plural of “sketch” — preliminary drawing for later elaboration

From this reading “They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]”

Windsor noun US /ˈwɪnzər/

a city in southeastern Ontario on the Detroit River opposite Detroit

From this reading “It began at two in the afternoon in a long drawing-room in the Windsor Hotel.”

All words in this reading · 88

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.

1893

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

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading It began at two in the afternoon in a long drawing-room in the Windsor Hotel.

afterwardsadverbUS /ˈæftərwərdz/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

agoadverbUS /əˈɡoʊ/

in the past

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

AmericannounUS /əˈmerəkən/

a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It began at two in the afternoon in a long drawing-room in the Windsor Hotel.

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading It began at two in the afternoon in a long drawing-room in the Windsor Hotel.

CablenounUS /ˈkeɪbəl/

a telegram sent abroad

From this reading Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr. George W. Cable.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

campaignnounUS /kæmˈpeɪn/

a race between candidates for elective office

From this reading Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr. George W. Cable.

ClaimantnounUS /ˈkleɪmənt/

someone who claims a benefit or right or title

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

crossedadjectiveUS /krɔːst/

placed crosswise

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/

the last (12th) month of the year

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

drawing-room

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

From this reading It began at two in the afternoon in a long drawing-room in the Windsor Hotel.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

enteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

entitledadjectiveUS /enˈtaɪtəld/

qualified for by right according to law

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

gentlemennounUS /ˈdʒentəlmɪn/

plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

GeorgenounUS /dʒɔːrdʒ/

Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)

From this reading Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr. George W. Cable.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

Harper'snounUS /ˈhɑːrpərz/

possessive form of “harper” — someone who plays the harp

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

honoredadjectiveUS /ˈɑːnərd/

having an illustrious reputation; respected

From this reading In Montreal we were honored with a reception.

HotelnounUS /hoʊˈtel/

a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services

From this reading It began at two in the afternoon in a long drawing-room in the Windsor Hotel.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

includedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkluːdəd/

enclosed in the same envelope or package

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It began at two in the afternoon in a long drawing-room in the Windsor Hotel.

ladiesnounUS /ˈleɪdiz/

plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

left-handadjectiveUS /ˌleftˈhænd/

intended for the left hand

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr. George W. Cable.

MagazinenounUS /ˈmæɡəziːn/

a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

MentaladjectiveUS /ˈmentəl/

involving the mind or an intellectual process

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

MontrealnounUS /ˌmʌntriˈɔːl/

a city in southern Quebec province on the Saint Lawrence River; the largest city in Quebec and 2nd largest in Canada; the 2nd largest French-speaking city in the world

From this reading In Montreal we were honored with a reception.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr. George W. Cable.

namedverbUS /neɪmd/

past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr. George W. Cable.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

originallyadverbUS /ərˈɪdʒənəli/

in an original manner

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

OtheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

platformnounUS /ˈplætfɔːrm/

a raised horizontal surface

From this reading Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr. George W. Cable.

publishedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌblɪʃt/

prepared and printed for distribution and sale

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

receptionnounUS /rɪˈsepʃən/

the manner in which something is greeted

From this reading In Montreal we were honored with a reception.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

seventeenadjectiveUS /ˈsevənˈtiːn/

being one more than sixteen

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

SeveraladjectiveUS /ˈsevrəl/

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr. George W. Cable.

shooknounUS /ʃʊk/

a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

SketchesnounUS /ˈsketʃəz/

plural of “sketch” — preliminary drawing for later elaboration

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

StoriesnounUS /ˈstɔːriz/

plural of “story” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

Telegraphynoun

communicating at a distance by electric transmission over wire

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading It began at two in the afternoon in a long drawing-room in the Windsor Hotel.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

volumenounUS /ˈvɑːljuːm/

the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

WnounUS /ˈdʌbəljuː/

a heavy grey-white metallic element; the pure form is used mainly in electrical applications; it is found in several ores including wolframite and scheelite

From this reading Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr. George W. Cable.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading In Montreal we were honored with a reception.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading In Montreal we were honored with a reception.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

WindsornounUS /ˈwɪnzər/

a city in southeastern Ontario on the Detroit River opposite Detroit

From this reading It began at two in the afternoon in a long drawing-room in the Windsor Hotel.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr. George W. Cable.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading Mr. Cable and I stood at one end of this room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered it at the other end, crossed it at that end, then came up the long left-hand side, shook hands with us, said a word or two, and passed on, in the usual way.

writtenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtən/

set down in writing in any of various ways

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading They seem to come under the head of what I named “Mental Telegraphy” in a paper written seventeen years ago, and published long afterwards.--[The paper entitled “Mental Telegraphy,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for December, 1893, is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant and Other Stories and Sketches.]

Chapter 1 of How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays by Mark Twain holds 171 sentences, grouped into 35 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 1 of How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays contain?

Chapter 1 holds 171 sentences of How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays by Mark Twain exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 171 sentences, grouped into 35 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 1 of How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays

Common questions about reading How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays by Mark Twain on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays?

Yes. All 332 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3250 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3250, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays take to read?

About 27 minutes of reading across 67 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays section by section

How to work through How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays

Words and structures a reader meets early in How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Humorous
A word that appears in the opening chapter of How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Story
A word that appears in the opening chapter of How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
American
A word that appears in the opening chapter of How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Development
A word that appears in the opening chapter of How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.