Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866)
Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866)

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866) is here in full — 169 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866)
Context Illustration Reading 1/33 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.
It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.
In letters Nos.
14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.
He refers to Burlingame, who was still in the islands.
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 — Volume 1 (1853-1866)

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866) is here in full — 169 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/33 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.
/hiːr ˈfɑːloʊz ðə hoʊl ˈterəbəl ˈnærətɪv wɪtʃ hæz sɪns bɪn ˈpʌblɪʃt ɪn mɔːr səbˈstænʃəl fɔːrm ənd hæz bɪn ˈrekəɡnaɪzd æz ˈlɪtərətʃər/
Line 2
It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.
Line 3
In letters Nos.
Line 4
14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.
Line 5
He refers to Burlingame, who was still in the islands.

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.

appreciated adjective US /əˈpriːʃieɪtɪd/

fully understood or grasped

From this reading “It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.”

columns noun US /ˈkɑːləmz/

plural of “column” — a line of units following one after another

From this reading “It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.”

constituted adjective US /ˈkɑːnstətuːtəd/

brought about or set up or accepted; especially long established

From this reading “It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.”

mourning noun US /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one

From this reading “14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.”

particulars noun US /pərˈtɪkjələrz/

plural of “particular” — a fact about some part (as opposed to general)

From this reading “14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.”

refers verb US /rəˈfɜːrz/

third-person singular of “refer” — make reference to

From this reading “He refers to Burlingame, who was still in the islands.”

substantial adjective US /səbˈstænʃəl/

of considerable importance, size, or worth

From this reading “Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.”

writer's noun US /ˈraɪtərz/

possessive form of “writer” — writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading “It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.”

All words in this reading · 69

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.

14

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

From this reading 14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.

15

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

From this reading 14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

appreciatedadjectiveUS /əˈpriːʃieɪtɪd/

fully understood or grasped

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

beatverbUS /biːt/

come out better in a competition, race, or conflict

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

Burlingame

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

From this reading He refers to Burlingame, who was still in the islands.

ceremonials

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

From this reading 14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.

columnnounUS /ˈkɑːləm/

a line of units following one after another

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

columnsnounUS /ˈkɑːləmz/

plural of “column” — a line of units following one after another

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

constitutedadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnstətuːtəd/

brought about or set up or accepted; especially long established

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

dollarsnounUS /ˈdɑːlərz/

plural of “dollar” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

extentnounUS /ɪkˈstent/

the point or degree to which something extends

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

factnounUS /fækt/

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

followsverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊz/

third-person singular of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

formnounUS /fɔːrm/

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

funeralnounUS /ˈfjuːnərəl/

a ceremony at which a dead person is buried or cremated

From this reading 14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.

furtheradverbUS /ˈfɜːrðər/

to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)

From this reading 14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.

givesnounUS /ɡɪvz/

plural of “give” — the elasticity of something that can be stretched and returns to its original length

From this reading 14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading 14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.

HereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/

ten 10s

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

islandsnounUS /ˈaɪləndz/

plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

lettersnounUS /ˈletərz/

the literary culture

From this reading In letters Nos.

literaturenounUS /ˈlɪtərətʃər/

creative writing of recognized artistic value

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

monthnounUS /mʌnθ/

one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading 14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

mourningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one

From this reading 14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.

narrativenounUS /ˈnærətɪv/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

Nos

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

From this reading In letters Nos.

occupiedadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪd/

held or filled or in use

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

pagenounUS /peɪdʒ/

one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

particularsnounUS /pərˈtɪkjələrz/

plural of “particular” — a fact about some part (as opposed to general)

From this reading 14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.

princessnounUS /ˈprɪn.ses/

The daughter of a monarch; a female member of a royal family.

From this reading 14. and 15. he gives further particulars of the month of mourning for the princess, and funeral ceremonials.

publishedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌblɪʃt/

prepared and printed for distribution and sale

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

recognizedadjectiveUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/

generally approved or compelling recognition

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

refersverbUS /rəˈfɜːrz/

third-person singular of “refer” — make reference to

From this reading He refers to Burlingame, who was still in the islands.

returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading He refers to Burlingame, who was still in the islands.

substantialadjectiveUS /səbˈstænʃəl/

of considerable importance, size, or worth

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

terribleadjectiveUS /ˈterəbəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

threenounUS /θriː/

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

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

UnionnounUS /ˈjuːnjən/

an organization of employees formed to bargain with the employer

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading He refers to Burlingame, who was still in the islands.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading He refers to Burlingame, who was still in the islands.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading Here follows the whole terrible narrative, which has since been published in more substantial form, and has been recognized as literature.

writer'snounUS /ˈraɪtərz/

possessive form of “writer” — writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading It occupied three and a half columns on the front page of the Union, and, of course, constituted a great beat for that paper--a fact which they appreciated to the extent of one hundred dollars the column upon the writer's return from the islands.

Chapter 13 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866) by Mark Twain holds 169 sentences, grouped into 34 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 13 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866) contain?

Chapter 13 holds 169 sentences of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866), unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866) by Mark Twain exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 169 sentences, grouped into 34 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 13 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866)?

Work through the 34 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 34 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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 — Volume 1 (1853-1866)

Common questions about reading Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866) by Mark Twain on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866)?

Yes. All 2217 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3193 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866) is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3193, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866) take to read?

About 184 minutes of reading across 444 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866) section by section

How to work through Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866) section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 13 chapters of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866) 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 — Volume 1 (1853-1866)

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Nowhere
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866); 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 — Volume 1 (1853-1866); 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 — Volume 1 (1853-1866); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Truly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 1 (1853-1866); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.