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Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910)
Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910)

Chapter XXXVI · Chapter 36

Chapter 36 of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910) is here in full — 365 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910)
Context Illustration Reading 1/73 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?
Well, I do and I want to tell you your ownself.
Don't think me too impertinent for indeed I don't mean to be that!
I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.
They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!
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.

Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910)

Chapter XXXVI · Chapter 36

Chapter 36 of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910) is here in full — 365 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/73 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?
Line 2
Well, I do and I want to tell you your ownself.
Line 3
Don't think me too impertinent for indeed I don't mean to be that!
Line 4
I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.
/aɪ hæv red ˈevriθɪŋ ʌv jʊrz ðæt aɪ kʊd ɡet ənd pɑːrts ðæt tʌtʃ miː aɪ hæv red ˈoʊvər ənd ˈoʊvər əˈɡen/
Line 5
They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!
/ðeɪ siːm sʌtʃ dɪr frendz tuː miː soʊ laɪk riːl laɪv ˈhjuːmən ˈbiːɪŋz ˈtɔːkɪŋ ənd ˈlæfɪŋ ˈwɜːrkɪŋ ənd ˈsʌfərɪŋ tuː/

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.

admires verb US /ædˈmaɪrz/

third-person singular of “admire” — feel admiration for

From this reading “MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?”

beings noun US /ˈbiːɪŋz/

plural of “being” — the state or fact of existing

From this reading “They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!”

dearly adverb US /ˈdɪrli/

in a sincere and heartfelt manner

From this reading “MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?”

impertinent adjective US /ˌɪmˈpɜːrtənənt/

characterized by a lightly pert and exuberant quality

From this reading “Don't think me too impertinent for indeed I don't mean to be that!”

loves noun US /lʌvz/

plural of “love” — a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading “MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?”

parts noun US /pɑːrts/

the local environment

From this reading “I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.”

twain noun US /tweɪn/

two items of the same kind

From this reading “MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?”

writings noun US /ˈraɪtɪŋz/

the third of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures

From this reading “MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?”

All words in this reading · 60

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 MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

admiresverbUS /ædˈmaɪrz/

third-person singular of “admire” — feel admiration for

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Don't think me too impertinent for indeed I don't mean to be that!

beingsnounUS /ˈbiːɪŋz/

plural of “being” — the state or fact of existing

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.

DEARadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

dearlyadverbUS /ˈdɪrli/

in a sincere and heartfelt manner

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Well, I do and I want to tell you your ownself.

Don't

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

From this reading Don't think me too impertinent for indeed I don't mean to be that!

everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Don't think me too impertinent for indeed I don't mean to be that!

friendsnounUS /frendz/

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.

how

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

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Well, I do and I want to tell you your ownself.

impertinentadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɜːrtənənt/

characterized by a lightly pert and exuberant quality

From this reading Don't think me too impertinent for indeed I don't mean to be that!

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading Don't think me too impertinent for indeed I don't mean to be that!

laughingadjectiveUS /ˈlæfɪŋ/

showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

liveverbUS /laɪv/

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

lovesnounUS /lʌvz/

plural of “love” — a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

MARKverbUS /mɑːrk/

attach a tag or label to

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

Maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Don't think me too impertinent for indeed I don't mean to be that!

meanverbUS /miːn/

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading Don't think me too impertinent for indeed I don't mean to be that!

MYdeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.

ownself

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

From this reading Well, I do and I want to tell you your ownself.

partsnounUS /pɑːrts/

the local environment

From this reading I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.

readverbUS /red/

interpret something that is written or printed

From this reading I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.

realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

sufferingnounUS /ˈsʌfərɪŋ/

a state of acute pain

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

talkingnounUS /ˈtɔːkɪŋ/

an exchange of ideas via conversation

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Don't think me too impertinent for indeed I don't mean to be that!

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading Don't think me too impertinent for indeed I don't mean to be that!

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Well, I do and I want to tell you your ownself.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Don't think me too impertinent for indeed I don't mean to be that!

touchverbUS /tʌtʃ/

make physical contact with, come in contact with

From this reading I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.

TWAINnounUS /tweɪn/

two items of the same kind

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading Well, I do and I want to tell you your ownself.

WelladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Well, I do and I want to tell you your ownself.

workingadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrkɪŋ/

actively engaged in paid work

From this reading They seem such dear friends to me, so like real live human beings talking and laughing, working and suffering too!

writeverbUS /raɪt/

produce a literary work

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

writingsnounUS /ˈraɪtɪŋz/

the third of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading MY DEAR, DEAR MARK TWAIN,--May a little girl write and tell you how dearly she loves and admires your writings?

yourspronounUS /jʊrz/

the one or ones belonging to the person spoken to

From this reading I have read everything of yours that I could get and parts that touch me I have read over and over again.

Chapter 36 of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910) by Mark Twain holds 365 sentences, grouped into 73 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 36 of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910) contain?

Chapter 36 holds 365 sentences of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910), unabridged, divided into 73 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 36 of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910) by Mark Twain exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 365 sentences, grouped into 73 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 36 of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910)?

Work through the 73 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 73 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 36 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 36 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 Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910)

Common questions about reading Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910) by Mark Twain on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910)?

Yes. All 14985 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3199 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910) is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3199, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910) take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2997 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910) section by section

How to work through Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910) section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910) 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 Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910)

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Twain
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Nowhere
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Human
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Being
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Complete (1853-1910); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.