Chapter 27 of Manhattan Transfer is here in full — 408 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXVII
Chapter 27 of Manhattan Transfer is here in full — 408 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Elaine,” he said shakily, “life’s going to mean something to me now.... God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years. I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.” “Let’s not talk about mechanical toys,” she said in a strangled voice. “No let’s talk about our happiness,” he shouted.
Chapter 27 of Manhattan Transfer is here in full — 408 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading “God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.”
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading “I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.””
possessive form of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
using (or as if using) mechanisms or tools or devices
From this reading “I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.””
held in check with difficulty
From this reading ““Let’s not talk about mechanical toys,” she said in a strangled voice.”
a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide
From this reading “I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.””
an artifact designed to be played with
From this reading “I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.””
plural of “toy” — an artifact designed to be played with
From this reading ““Let’s not talk about mechanical toys,” she said in a strangled voice.”
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.
In this reading “God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.”
to consider or examine in speech or writing
In this reading ““Let’s not talk about mechanical toys,” she said in a strangled voice.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.”
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “Let’s not talk about mechanical toys,” she said in a strangled voice.
(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 I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.”
the past participle of “be”
From this reading God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Elaine,” he said shakily, “life’s going to mean something to me now....
make void or empty of contents
From this reading God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.
the act of departing
From this reading “Elaine,” he said shakily, “life’s going to mean something to me now....
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading “No let’s talk about our happiness,” he shouted.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Elaine,” he said shakily, “life’s going to mean something to me now....
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.”
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Let’s not talk about mechanical toys,” she said in a strangled voice.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.”
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Let’s not talk about mechanical toys,” she said in a strangled voice.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.
possessive form of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading “Elaine,” he said shakily, “life’s going to mean something to me now....
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.”
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Elaine,” he said shakily, “life’s going to mean something to me now....
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading “Elaine,” he said shakily, “life’s going to mean something to me now....
using (or as if using) mechanisms or tools or devices
From this reading I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.”
not any; not one
From this reading “No let’s talk about our happiness,” he shouted.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Let’s not talk about mechanical toys,” she said in a strangled voice.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Elaine,” he said shakily, “life’s going to mean something to me now....
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading “No let’s talk about our happiness,” he shouted.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Elaine,” he said shakily, “life’s going to mean something to me now....
in an insecurely shaky manner
From this reading “Elaine,” he said shakily, “life’s going to mean something to me now....
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Let’s not talk about mechanical toys,” she said in a strangled voice.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading “No let’s talk about our happiness,” he shouted.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “Elaine,” he said shakily, “life’s going to mean something to me now....
held in check with difficulty
From this reading “Let’s not talk about mechanical toys,” she said in a strangled voice.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading “Let’s not talk about mechanical toys,” she said in a strangled voice.
a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide
From this reading I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Elaine,” he said shakily, “life’s going to mean something to me now....
an artifact designed to be played with
From this reading I’ve been like a tin mechanical toy, all hollow inside.”
plural of “toy” — an artifact designed to be played with
From this reading “Let’s not talk about mechanical toys,” she said in a strangled voice.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading “Let’s not talk about mechanical toys,” she said in a strangled voice.
a late time of life
From this reading God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading God if you knew how empty life had been for so many years.
Chapter 27 of Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos holds 408 sentences, grouped into 82 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.
Chapter 27 holds 408 sentences of Manhattan Transfer, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 27 of Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 408 sentences, grouped into 82 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.
Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 27 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.
Common questions about reading Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #?, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Manhattan Transfer section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 0 chapters of Manhattan Transfer to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Manhattan Transfer, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
