Chapter 3 of May Fair is here in full — 394 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of May Fair is here in full — 394 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Valentine said: “Valerest, thank Heaven you are here! I got such a shock.” “Here?” said Valerest. “Shock?” Valentine switched on the lamp by the bed.
Chapter 3 of May Fair is here in full — 394 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/78 · 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.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading “Valentine switched on the lamp by the bed.”
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “I got such a shock.””
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading “Valentine said: “Valerest, thank Heaven you are here!”
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading “Valentine switched on the lamp by the bed.”
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading “I got such a shock.””
past form of “switch” — change over, change around, as to a new order or sequence
From this reading “Valentine switched on the lamp by the bed.”
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading “Valentine said: “Valerest, thank Heaven you are here!”
a sweetheart chosen to receive a greeting on Saint Valentine's Day
From this reading “Valentine said: “Valerest, thank Heaven you are here!”
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.
cause to operate by flipping a switch
In this reading “Valentine switched on the lamp by the bed.”
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 got such a shock.”
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Valentine said: “Valerest, thank Heaven you are here!
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Valentine switched on the lamp by the bed.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Valentine switched on the lamp by the bed.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading I got such a shock.”
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading Valentine said: “Valerest, thank Heaven you are here!
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Valentine said: “Valerest, thank Heaven you are here!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I got such a shock.”
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading Valentine switched on the lamp by the bed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Valentine switched on the lamp by the bed.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Valentine said: “Valerest, thank Heaven you are here!
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading I got such a shock.”
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading I got such a shock.”
past form of “switch” — change over, change around, as to a new order or sequence
From this reading Valentine switched on the lamp by the bed.
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading Valentine said: “Valerest, thank Heaven you are here!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Valentine switched on the lamp by the bed.
a sweetheart chosen to receive a greeting on Saint Valentine's Day
From this reading Valentine said: “Valerest, thank Heaven you are here!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Valentine said: “Valerest, thank Heaven you are here!
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Valentine said: “Valerest, thank Heaven you are here!
Chapter 3 of May Fair by Michael Arlen holds 394 sentences, grouped into 79 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 3 holds 394 sentences of May Fair, unabridged, divided into 79 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of May Fair by Michael Arlen exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 394 sentences, grouped into 79 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 79 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 79 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 3 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 May Fair by Michael Arlen on this page, its source edition and its audio.
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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 May Fair section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 0 chapters of May Fair 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 May Fair, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
