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Last Words
Last Words

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of Last Words is here in full — 2866 sentences across 574 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Last Words
Context Illustration Reading 1/573 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I have never been in the habit of reading signs.
I don't like to read signs.
I have never met a man that liked to read signs.
I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.
He had the same interest in my invention that I have in a certain kind of mustard.
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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.

Last Words

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of Last Words is here in full — 2866 sentences across 574 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/573 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I have never been in the habit of reading signs.
/aɪ hæv ˈnevər bɪn ɪn ðə ˈhæbət ʌv ˈriːdɪŋ saɪnz/
Line 2
I don't like to read signs.
Line 3
I have never met a man that liked to read signs.
/aɪ hæv ˈnevər met ə mæn ðæt laɪkt tuː red saɪnz/
Line 4
I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.
Line 5
He had the same interest in my invention that I have in a certain kind of mustard.
/hiː hæd ðə seɪm ˈɪntrəst ɪn maɪ ˌɪnˈvenʃən ðæt aɪ hæv ɪn ə ˈsɜːrtən kaɪnd ʌv ˈmʌstərd/

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.

hammer noun US /ˈhæmər/

the part of a gunlock that strikes the percussion cap when the trigger is pulled

From this reading “I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.”

Harvard noun US /ˈhɑːrvərd/

a university in Massachusetts

From this reading “I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.”

invented verb US /ˌɪnˈventəd/

past form of “invent” — come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort

From this reading “I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.”

invention noun US /ˌɪnˈvenʃən/

the creation of something in the mind

From this reading “He had the same interest in my invention that I have in a certain kind of mustard.”

mustard noun US /ˈmʌstərd/

any of several cruciferous plants of the genus Brassica

From this reading “He had the same interest in my invention that I have in a certain kind of mustard.”

peculiarity noun US /pɪˌkjuːliˈerəti/

an odd or unusual characteristic

From this reading “I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.”

piano noun US /piˈænoʊ/

a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds

From this reading “I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.”

University noun US /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəti/

the body of faculty and students at a university

From this reading “I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

play the piano verb + article + noun counted as “play … piano”

In this reading “I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.”

in the habit preposition + article + noun counted as “in … habit”

In this reading “I have never been in the habit of reading signs.”

All words in this reading · 47

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 I have never met a man that liked to read signs.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading I have never been in the habit of reading signs.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading He had the same interest in my invention that I have in a certain kind of mustard.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

creaturenounUS /ˈkriːtʃər/

a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

don't

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

From this reading I don't like to read signs.

habitnounUS /ˈhæbət/

an established custom

From this reading I have never been in the habit of reading signs.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He had the same interest in my invention that I have in a certain kind of mustard.

hammernounUS /ˈhæmər/

the part of a gunlock that strikes the percussion cap when the trigger is pulled

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

HarvardnounUS /ˈhɑːrvərd/

a university in Massachusetts

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I have never been in the habit of reading signs.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He had the same interest in my invention that I have in a certain kind of mustard.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I have never been in the habit of reading signs.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I have never been in the habit of reading signs.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading He had the same interest in my invention that I have in a certain kind of mustard.

inventedverbUS /ˌɪnˈventəd/

past form of “invent” — come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

inventionnounUS /ˌɪnˈvenʃən/

the creation of something in the mind

From this reading He had the same interest in my invention that I have in a certain kind of mustard.

kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading He had the same interest in my invention that I have in a certain kind of mustard.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading I don't like to read signs.

likedadjectiveUS /laɪkt/

found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form

From this reading I have never met a man that liked to read signs.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading I have never met a man that liked to read signs.

mentionedverbUS /ˈmenʃənd/

past form of “mention” — make reference to

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

metverbUS /met/

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading I have never met a man that liked to read signs.

mustardnounUS /ˈmʌstərd/

any of several cruciferous plants of the genus Brassica

From this reading He had the same interest in my invention that I have in a certain kind of mustard.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading He had the same interest in my invention that I have in a certain kind of mustard.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading I have never been in the habit of reading signs.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I have never been in the habit of reading signs.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

peculiaritynounUS /pɪˌkjuːliˈerəti/

an odd or unusual characteristic

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

pianonounUS /piˈænoʊ/

a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

playverbUS /pleɪ/

participate in games or sport

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

professornounUS /prəˈfesər/

someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

readverbUS /red/

interpret something that is written or printed

From this reading I don't like to read signs.

readingnounUS /ˈriːdɪŋ/

the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message

From this reading I have never been in the habit of reading signs.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading He had the same interest in my invention that I have in a certain kind of mustard.

Sanscrit

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

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

signsnounUS /saɪnz/

plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)

From this reading I have never been in the habit of reading signs.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I have never met a man that liked to read signs.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I have never been in the habit of reading signs.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I don't like to read signs.

UniversitynounUS /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəti/

the body of faculty and students at a university

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I once invented a creature who could play the piano with a hammer, and I mentioned him to a professor in Harvard University whose peculiarity was Sanscrit.

Chapter 14 of Last Words by Stephen Crane holds 2866 sentences, grouped into 574 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 14 of Last Words contain?

Chapter 14 holds 2866 sentences of Last Words, unabridged, divided into 574 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of Last Words by Stephen Crane exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 2866 sentences, grouped into 574 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 14 of Last Words?

Work through the 574 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 574 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 Last Words

Common questions about reading Last Words by Stephen Crane on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Last Words?

Yes. All 4710 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33579 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Last Words is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #33579, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Last Words take to read?

About 392 minutes of reading across 942 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Last Words section by section

How to work through Last Words section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 14 chapters of Last Words 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 Last Words

Words and structures a reader meets early in Last Words, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Wounds
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Last Words; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Digby
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Last Words; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bouverie
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Last Words; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Street
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Last Words; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.