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Little Brother
Little Brother

Chapter XVII

Chapter 17 of Little Brother is here in full — 455 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Little Brother
Context Illustration Reading 1/91 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
[[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.
Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]
[[Waterstones http://www.waterstones.com]] So we told her.
I found it really fun, actually.
Teaching people how to use technology is always exciting.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Little Brother

Chapter XVII

Chapter 17 of Little Brother is here in full — 455 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/91 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
[[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.
Line 2
Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]
Line 3
[[Waterstones http://www.waterstones.com]] So we told her.
Line 4
I found it really fun, actually.
/aɪ faʊnd ɪt ˈrɪli fʌn ˈæktʃuːəli/
Line 5
Teaching people how to use technology is always exciting.

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.

dedicated adjective US /ˈdedəkeɪtəd/

devoted to a cause or ideal or purpose

From this reading “[[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.”

http noun US /ˌeɪtʃtiːtiːˈpiː/

a protocol (utilizing TCP) to transfer hypertext requests and information between servers and browsers

From this reading “[[Waterstones http://www.waterstones.com]] So we told her.”

knowledgeable adjective US /ˈnɑːlədʒəbəl/

highly educated; having extensive information or understanding

From this reading “Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]”

personality noun US /ˌpɜːrsəˈnælɪti/

the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual

From this reading “Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]”

stores noun US /stɔːrz/

plural of “store” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading “Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]”

Teaching noun US /ˈtiːtʃɪŋ/

the profession of a teacher

From this reading “Teaching people how to use technology is always exciting.”

technology noun US /tekˈnɑːlədʒi/

the application of the knowledge and usage of tools (such as machines or utensils) and techniques to control one's environment

From this reading “Teaching people how to use technology is always exciting.”

tons noun US /tʌnz/

a large number or amount

From this reading “Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]”

All words in this reading · 52

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 Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

actuallyadverbUS /ˈæktʃuːəli/

in actual fact

From this reading I found it really fun, actually.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Teaching people how to use technology is always exciting.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

audiobooks

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

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

bookselling

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

From this reading [[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

chainnounUS /tʃeɪn/

a series of things depending on each other as if linked together

From this reading [[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.

chapternounUS /ˈtʃæptər/

a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled

From this reading [[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.

com

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

From this reading [[Waterstones http://www.waterstones.com]] So we told her.

dedicatedadjectiveUS /ˈdedəkeɪtəd/

devoted to a cause or ideal or purpose

From this reading [[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

especiallyadverbUS /əˈspeʃli/

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

excitingadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ/

creating or arousing excitement

From this reading Teaching people how to use technology is always exciting.

feelverbUS /fiːl/

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading I found it really fun, actually.

funnounUS /fʌn/

activities that are enjoyable or amusing

From this reading I found it really fun, actually.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading [[Waterstones http://www.waterstones.com]] So we told her.

how

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

From this reading Teaching people how to use technology is always exciting.

httpnounUS /ˌeɪtʃtiːtiːˈpiː/

a protocol (utilizing TCP) to transfer hypertext requests and information between servers and browsers

From this reading [[Waterstones http://www.waterstones.com]] So we told her.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I found it really fun, actually.

independentadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈpendənt/

free from external control and constraint

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading [[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I found it really fun, actually.

knowledgeableadjectiveUS /ˈnɑːlədʒəbəl/

highly educated; having extensive information or understanding

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

nationaladjectiveUS /ˈnæʃənəl/

of or relating to or belonging to a nation or country

From this reading [[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Teaching people how to use technology is always exciting.

personalitynounUS /ˌpɜːrsəˈnælɪti/

the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading I found it really fun, actually.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading [[Waterstones http://www.waterstones.com]] So we told her.

staffnounUS /stæf/

personnel who assist their superior in carrying out an assigned task

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

stocknounUS /stɑːk/

the capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares entitling holders to an ownership interest

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

storenounUS /stɔːr/

a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

storesnounUS /stɔːrz/

plural of “store” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

TeachingnounUS /ˈtiːtʃɪŋ/

the profession of a teacher

From this reading Teaching people how to use technology is always exciting.

technologynounUS /tekˈnɑːlədʒi/

the application of the knowledge and usage of tools (such as machines or utensils) and techniques to control one's environment

From this reading Teaching people how to use technology is always exciting.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading [[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading [[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading [[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading [[Waterstones http://www.waterstones.com]] So we told her.

tonsnounUS /tʌnz/

a large number or amount

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

UKnounUS /ˌjuːˈkeɪ/

a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; “Great Britain” is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom

From this reading [[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading Teaching people how to use technology is always exciting.

Waterstone's

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

From this reading [[This chapter is dedicated to Waterstone's, the national UK bookselling chain.

Waterstones

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

From this reading [[Waterstones http://www.waterstones.com]] So we told her.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading [[Waterstones http://www.waterstones.com]] So we told her.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Waterstone's is a chain of stores, but each one has the feel of a great independent store, with tons of personality, great stock (especially audiobooks!), and knowledgeable staff.]]

wwwnoun

computer network consisting of a collection of internet sites that offer text and graphics and sound and animation resources through the hypertext transfer protocol

From this reading [[Waterstones http://www.waterstones.com]] So we told her.

Chapter 17 of Little Brother by Cory Doctorow holds 455 sentences, grouped into 91 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 17 of Little Brother contain?

Chapter 17 holds 455 sentences of Little Brother, unabridged, divided into 91 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of Little Brother by Cory Doctorow exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 455 sentences, grouped into 91 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 17 of Little Brother?

Work through the 91 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 91 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 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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 Little Brother

Common questions about reading Little Brother by Cory Doctorow on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Little Brother?

Yes. All 8822 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #30142 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Little Brother is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #30142, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Little Brother take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1765 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Little Brother section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of Little Brother 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 Little Brother

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

Chapter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Little Brother; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dedicated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Little Brother; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bakkaphoenix
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Little Brother; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Books
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Little Brother; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.