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Life on the Mississippi, Part 10.
Life on the Mississippi, Part 10.

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Life on the Mississippi, Part 10. is here in full — 124 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Life on the Mississippi, Part 10.
Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.
The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.
It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.
I have not had an experience of this kind before, I believe.
There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.
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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, Part 10.

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Life on the Mississippi, Part 10. is here in full — 124 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.
Line 2
The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.
Line 3
It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.
/ɪt ɪz ə ˈkjʊriəs θɪŋ tuː liːv ə mæn ˈθɜːrdifaɪv jɪrz oʊld ənd kʌm bæk æt ðə end ʌv ˈtwentiwɔːn jɪrz ənd faɪnd hɪm stɪl ˈoʊnli ˈθɜːrdifaɪv/
Line 4
I have not had an experience of this kind before, I believe.
/aɪ hæv nɑːt hæd æn ɪkˈspɪriəns ʌv ðɪs kaɪnd bɪˈfɔːr aɪ bɪˈliːv/
Line 5
There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.

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.

alertness noun US /əˈlɜːrtnəs/

the process of paying close and continuous attention

From this reading “The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.”

Baton noun US /bəˈtɑːn/

a thin tapered rod used by a conductor to lead an orchestra or choir

From this reading “ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.”

girth noun US /ɡɜːrθ/

the distance around a person's body

From this reading “The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.”

inconspicuous adjective US /ˌɪŋˈkɑːnspɪkwəs/

not prominent or readily noticeable

From this reading “There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.”

ounce noun US /aʊns/

a unit of apothecary weight equal to 480 grains or one twelfth of a troy pound

From this reading “The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.”

Rouge noun US /ruːʒ/

makeup consisting of a pink or red powder applied to the cheeks

From this reading “ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.”

swiftest adjective US /ˈswɪftəst/

superlative of “swift” — moving very fast

From this reading “ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.”

twenty-one noun US /ˈtwentiwɔːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of twenty and one

From this reading “It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.”

All words in this reading · 101

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 The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

additionnounUS /əˈdɪʃən/

a component that is added to something to improve it

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

alertnessnounUS /əˈlɜːrtnəs/

the process of paying close and continuous attention

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

AnchornounUS /ˈæŋkər/

a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

answeringadjectiveUS /ˈænsərɪŋ/

replying

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

BatonnounUS /bəˈtɑːn/

a thin tapered rod used by a conductor to lead an orchestra or choir

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

bearingnounUS /ˈberɪŋ/

relevant relation or interconnection

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading I have not had an experience of this kind before, I believe.

believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading I have not had an experience of this kind before, I believe.

Bixby

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

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.

captainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

CitynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

countedverbUS /ˈkaʊntɪd/

past form of “count” — determine the number or amount of

From this reading There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.

crow's-feet

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

From this reading There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.

curiousadjectiveUS /ˈkjʊriəs/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

curlsnounUS /kɜːrlz/

plural of “curl” — a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

decisionnounUS /dɪˈsɪʒən/

the act of making up your mind about something

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

encounteredverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntərd/

past form of “encounter” — come together

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

erectverbUS /ɪˈrekt/

construct, build, or erect

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

experienceverbUS /ɪkˈspɪriəns/

undergo or live through a difficult experience

From this reading I have not had an experience of this kind before, I believe.

eyenounUS /aɪ/

the organ of sight

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

figurenounUS /ˈfɪɡjər/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.

formerlyadverbUS /ˈfɔːrmərli/

at a previous time

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

gainedverbUS /ɡeɪnd/

past form of “gain” — obtain

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

girthnounUS /ɡɜːrθ/

the distance around a person's body

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I have not had an experience of this kind before, I believe.

hairnounUS /her/

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I have not had an experience of this kind before, I believe.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

HoracenounUS /ˈhɔːrəs/

Roman lyric poet said to have influenced English poetry (65-8 BC)

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

inchnounUS /ɪntʃ/

a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

inconspicuousadjectiveUS /ˌɪŋˈkɑːnspɪkwəs/

not prominent or readily noticeable

From this reading There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

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

From this reading I have not had an experience of this kind before, I believe.

latestadjectiveUS /ˈleɪtəst/

up to the immediate present; most recent or most up-to-date

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

LinenounUS /laɪn/

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

militaryadjectiveUS /ˈmɪləteri/

of or relating to the study of the principles of warfare

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

ONEpronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

ouncenounUS /aʊns/

a unit of apothecary weight equal to 480 grains or one twelfth of a troy pound

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

pilotverbUS /ˈpaɪlət/

operate an airplane

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

RougenounUS /ruːʒ/

makeup consisting of a pink or red powder applied to the cheeks

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.

slenderadjectiveUS /ˈslendər/

being of delicate or slender build

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.

springyadjective

elastic; rebounds readily

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

steamernounUS /ˈstiːmər/

a clam that is usually steamed in the shell

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

stepnounUS /step/

any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

streetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

swiftestadjectiveUS /ˈswɪftəst/

superlative of “swift” — moving very fast

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

thirty-fiveadjectiveUS /ˈθɜːrdifaɪv/

being five more than thirty

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading I have not had an experience of this kind before, I believe.

tightadjectiveUS /taɪt/

closely constrained or constricted or constricting

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

twenty-onenounUS /ˈtwentiwɔːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of twenty and one

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

weightnounUS /weɪt/

the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity

From this reading The same slender figure, the same tight curls, the same springy step, the same alertness, the same decision of eye and answering decision of hand, the same erect military bearing; not an inch gained or lost in girth, not an ounce gained or lost in weight, not a hair turned.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading There were some crow's-feet, but they counted for next to nothing, since they were inconspicuous.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

wishedverbUS /wɪʃt/

past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish

From this reading ONE day, on the street, I encountered the man whom, of all men, I most wished to see--Horace Bixby; formerly pilot under me--or rather, over me--now captain of the great steamer 'City of Baton Rouge,' the latest and swiftest addition to the Anchor Line.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading It is a curious thing, to leave a man thirty-five years old, and come back at the end of twenty-one years and find him still only thirty-five.

Chapter 3 of Life on the Mississippi, Part 10. by Mark Twain holds 124 sentences, grouped into 25 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 3 of Life on the Mississippi, Part 10. contain?

Chapter 3 holds 124 sentences of Life on the Mississippi, Part 10., unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of Life on the Mississippi, Part 10. by Mark Twain exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 124 sentences, grouped into 25 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 3 of Life on the Mississippi, Part 10.?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Life on the Mississippi, Part 10.

Common questions about reading Life on the Mississippi, Part 10. by Mark Twain on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Life on the Mississippi, Part 10.?

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Which edition of Life on the Mississippi, Part 10. is used?

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

How long does Life on the Mississippi, Part 10. take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through Life on the Mississippi, Part 10. section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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Vocabulary met early in Life on the Mississippi, Part 10.

Words and structures a reader meets early in Life on the Mississippi, Part 10., each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Life on the Mississippi, Part 10., divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of Life on the Mississippi, Part 10., divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of Life on the Mississippi, Part 10., divided into 5-sentence reading sections.