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Life on the Mississippi
Life on the Mississippi

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of Life on the Mississippi is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.
SEVENTEEN PERSONS KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION ON THE STEAMER 'GOLD DUST.'
'NASHVILLE, Aug.
7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer Gold Dust exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.
Forty-seven persons were scalded and seventeen are missing.
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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.

Life on the Mississippi

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of Life on the Mississippi is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.
Line 2
SEVENTEEN PERSONS KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION ON THE STEAMER 'GOLD DUST.'
/ˈsevənˈtiːn ˈpɜːrsənz kɪld baɪ æn ɪkˈsploʊʒən ɑːn ðə ˈstiːmər ɡoʊld dʌst/
Line 3
'NASHVILLE, Aug.
/ˈnæʃvɪl ˈɔːɡəst/
Line 4
7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamerGold Dustexploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.
Line 5
Forty-seven persons were scalded and seventeen are missing.

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.

Aug noun US /ˈɔːɡəst/

the month following July and preceding September

From this reading “'NASHVILLE, Aug.”

boilers noun US /ˈbɔɪlərz/

plural of “boiler” — sealed vessel where water is converted to steam

From this reading “7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.”

chapters noun US /ˈtʃæptərz/

plural of “chapter” — a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled

From this reading “The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.”

exploded adjective US /ɪkˈsploʊdəd/

showing the parts of something separated but in positions that show their correct relation to one another

From this reading “7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.”

explosion noun US /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/

a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction

From this reading “SEVENTEEN PERSONS KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION ON THE STEAMER 'GOLD DUST.'”

foregoing adjective US /fɔːrˈɡoʊɪŋ/

especially of writing or speech; going before

From this reading “The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.”

nashville noun US /ˈnæʃvɪl/

capital of the state of Tennessee; located in the north central part of the state on the Cumberland River; known for country music

From this reading “'NASHVILLE, Aug.”

scalded verb US /ˈskɔːldɪd/

past form of “scald” — subject to harsh criticism

From this reading “Forty-seven persons were scalded and seventeen are missing.”

All words in this reading · 59

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.

7

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

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

8

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

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

ANdeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading SEVENTEEN PERSONS KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION ON THE STEAMER 'GOLD DUST.'

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Forty-seven persons were scalded and seventeen are missing.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Forty-seven persons were scalded and seventeen are missing.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

AugnounUS /ˈɔːɡəst/

the month following July and preceding September

From this reading 'NASHVILLE, Aug.

AugustnounUS /ˈɑːɡəst/

the month following July and preceding September

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

boilersnounUS /ˈbɔɪlərz/

plural of “boiler” — sealed vessel where water is converted to steam

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

BYprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading SEVENTEEN PERSONS KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION ON THE STEAMER 'GOLD DUST.'

chaptersnounUS /ˈtʃæptərz/

plural of “chapter” — a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

despatchverb

send away towards a designated goal

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

DISASTERnounUS /dɪˈzæstər/

a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

DustverbUS /dʌst/

remove the dust from

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

EndnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

explodedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsploʊdəd/

showing the parts of something separated but in positions that show their correct relation to one another

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

EXPLOSIONnounUS /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/

a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction

From this reading SEVENTEEN PERSONS KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION ON THE STEAMER 'GOLD DUST.'

FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

foregoingadjectiveUS /fɔːrˈɡoʊɪŋ/

especially of writing or speech; going before

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

Forty-sevenadjective

being seven more than forty

From this reading Forty-seven persons were scalded and seventeen are missing.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

GoldnounUS /ɡoʊld/

coins made of gold

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

Hickman

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

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

KILLEDverbUS /kɪld/

past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly

From this reading SEVENTEEN PERSONS KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION ON THE STEAMER 'GOLD DUST.'

Kynoun

a state in east central United States; a border state during the American Civil War; famous for breeding race horses

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

leavingnounUS /ˈliːvɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

missingadjectiveUS /ˈmɪsɪŋ/

not able to be found

From this reading Forty-seven persons were scalded and seventeen are missing.

monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/

plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

NASHVILLEnounUS /ˈnæʃvɪl/

capital of the state of Tennessee; located in the north central part of the state on the Cumberland River; known for country music

From this reading 'NASHVILLE, Aug.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading SEVENTEEN PERSONS KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION ON THE STEAMER 'GOLD DUST.'

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

papersnounUS /ˈpeɪpərz/

writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

PERSONSnounUS /ˈpɜːrsənz/

plural of “person” — a human being

From this reading SEVENTEEN PERSONS KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION ON THE STEAMER 'GOLD DUST.'

saysnounUS /sez/

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

scaldedverbUS /ˈskɔːldɪd/

past form of “scald” — subject to harsh criticism

From this reading Forty-seven persons were scalded and seventeen are missing.

SEVENTEENadjectiveUS /ˈsevənˈtiːn/

being one more than sixteen

From this reading SEVENTEEN PERSONS KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION ON THE STEAMER 'GOLD DUST.'

STEAMERnounUS /ˈstiːmər/

a clam that is usually steamed in the shell

From this reading SEVENTEEN PERSONS KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION ON THE STEAMER 'GOLD DUST.'

telegramnounUS /ˈteləɡræm/

a message transmitted by telegraph

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

TERRIBLEadjectiveUS /ˈterəbəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

to-day

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

From this reading 7.--A despatch from Hickman, Ky., says-- 'The steamer “Gold Dust” exploded her boilers at three o'clock to-day, just after leaving Hickman.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Forty-seven persons were scalded and seventeen are missing.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

writingnounUS /ˈraɪtɪŋ/

the act of creating written works

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

YorknounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading The End of the 'Gold Dust' FOR, three months later, August 8, while I was writing one of these foregoing chapters, the New York papers brought this telegram-- A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

Chapter 14 of Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain holds 150 sentences, grouped into 30 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 Life on the Mississippi contain?

Chapter 14 holds 150 sentences of Life on the Mississippi, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 150 sentences, grouped into 30 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 Life on the Mississippi?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 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 Life on the Mississippi

Common questions about reading Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Life on the Mississippi?

Yes. All 6352 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #245 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Life on the Mississippi is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #245, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Life on the Mississippi take to read?

About 529 minutes of reading across 1271 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Life on the Mississippi section by section

How to work through Life on the Mississippi section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of Life on the Mississippi 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 Life on the Mississippi

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

Chimney
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Life on the Mississippi; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Panorama
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Life on the Mississippi; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Undying
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Life on the Mississippi; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Peboan
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Life on the Mississippi; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.