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Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900)
Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900)

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900) is here in full — 167 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Mark Twain • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900)
Context Illustration Reading 1/33 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.
And he needs it.
But it is like all the dreams of all busy men--fated to remain dreams.
You perceive that he is a pleasant text for me.
It is easy to write about him.
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 4 (1886-1900)

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900) is here in full — 167 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.
Line 2
And he needs it.
/ənd hiː niːdz ɪt/
Line 3
But it is like all the dreams of all busy men--fated to remain dreams.
Line 4
You perceive that he is a pleasant text for me.
/juː pərˈsiːv ðæt hiː ɪz ə ˈplezənt tekst fɔːr miː/
Line 5
It is easy to write about him.
/ɪt ɪz ˈiːzi tuː raɪt əˈbaʊt hɪm/

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.

awhile adverb US /əˈwaɪl/

for a short time

From this reading “He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dreams noun US /driːmz/

plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep

From this reading “But it is like all the dreams of all busy men--fated to remain dreams.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
families noun US /ˈfæməliz/

plural of “family” — a social unit living together

From this reading “He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fated adjective US /ˈfeɪtɪd/

(usually followed by “to”) determined by tragic fate

From this reading “But it is like all the dreams of all busy men--fated to remain dreams.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Japan noun US /dʒəˈpæn/

a string of more than 3,000 islands to the east of Asia extending 1,300 miles between the Sea of Japan and the western Pacific Ocean

From this reading “He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
needs adverb US /niːdz/

in such a manner as could not be otherwise

From this reading “And he needs it.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
perceive verb US /pərˈsiːv/

to become aware of through the senses

From this reading “You perceive that he is a pleasant text for me.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
text noun US /tekst/

the words of something written

From this reading “You perceive that he is a pleasant text for me.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 45

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 He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
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 But it is like all the dreams of all busy men--fated to remain dreams.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
awhileadverbUS /əˈwaɪl/

for a short time

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
busyadjectiveUS /ˈbɪzi/

actively or fully engaged or occupied

From this reading But it is like all the dreams of all busy men--fated to remain dreams.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But it is like all the dreams of all busy men--fated to remain dreams.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
dreamnounUS /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora curated lexicon
dreamsnounUS /driːmz/

plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep

From this reading But it is like all the dreams of all busy men--fated to remain dreams.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
easyadjectiveUS /ˈiːzi/

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading It is easy to write about him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
familiesnounUS /ˈfæməliz/

plural of “family” — a social unit living together

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fatedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtɪd/

(usually followed by “to”) determined by tragic fate

From this reading But it is like all the dreams of all busy men--fated to remain dreams.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading It is easy to write about him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
JapannounUS /dʒəˈpæn/

a string of more than 3,000 islands to the east of Asia extending 1,300 miles between the Sea of Japan and the western Pacific Ocean

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading But it is like all the dreams of all busy men--fated to remain dreams.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
meansnounUS /miːnz/

thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading But it is like all the dreams of all busy men--fated to remain dreams.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
needsadverbUS /niːdz/

in such a manner as could not be otherwise

From this reading And he needs it.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading But it is like all the dreams of all busy men--fated to remain dreams.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
perceiveverbUS /pərˈsiːv/

to become aware of through the senses

From this reading You perceive that he is a pleasant text for me.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pleasantadjectiveUS /ˈplezənt/

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading You perceive that he is a pleasant text for me.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
remainverbUS /rɪˈmeɪn/

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading But it is like all the dreams of all busy men--fated to remain dreams.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
textnounUS /tekst/

the words of something written

From this reading You perceive that he is a pleasant text for me.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading You perceive that he is a pleasant text for me.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wantsnounUS /wɑːnts/

plural of “want” — a state of extreme poverty

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He wants to go to Japan--it is his dream; wants to go with me--which means, the two families--and hear no more about business for awhile, and have a rest.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
writeverbUS /raɪt/

produce a literary work

From this reading It is easy to write about him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You perceive that he is a pleasant text for me.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 17 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900) by Mark Twain holds 167 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 17 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900) contain?

Chapter 17 holds 167 sentences of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900), unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900) by Mark Twain exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 167 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 17 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900)?

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 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 Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900)

Common questions about reading Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900) by Mark Twain on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900)?

Yes. All 4330 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3196 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900) is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3196, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900) take to read?

About 360 minutes of reading across 866 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900) section by section

How to work through Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900) section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900) 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 4 (1886-1900)

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Volume
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Letters
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Clemens's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Romance
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 4 (1886-1900); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.