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Mother Carey's Chickens
Mother Carey's Chickens

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Mother Carey's Chickens is here in full — 430 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Mother Carey's Chickens
Context Illustration Reading 1/86 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.
But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"
"I simply hate cock crow, and you know it," said Kathleen testily.
"Why not now?
Ellen and Gilbert are out and mother is rocking Peter to sleep."
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.

Mother Carey's Chickens

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Mother Carey's Chickens is here in full — 430 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/86 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.
Line 2
But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"
/bʌt ɪf ðer ɑːr ˈæksədənts ənd ðer wɪl biː maɪ ɡʊd ɡɜːrl ðen ðə ˈɔːθərz ʌv ðem wɪl biː fərˈevər ənˈnoʊn tuː ɔːl bʌt ðaʊ ənd aɪ wʊdst prəˈfɜːr tuː pæk ðɪs ˈmɪdnaɪt ɔːr æt kɑːk kroʊ fɔːr ˈpækɪŋ ɪz ˈaʊər tæsk/
Line 3
"I simply hate cock crow, and you know it," said Kathleen testily.
Line 4
"Why not now?
/waɪ nɑːt naʊ/
Line 5
Ellen and Gilbert are out and mother is rocking Peter to sleep."

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.

Charlestown noun US /ˈtʃɑːrlstaʊn/

a former town and present-day neighborhood of Boston; settled in 1629

From this reading “"Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.”

regulated adjective US /ˈreɡjəleɪtɪd/

controlled or governed according to rule or principle or law

From this reading “"Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.”

removal noun US /rɪˈmuːvəl/

the act of removing

From this reading “"Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.”

rocking verb US /ˈrɑːkɪŋ/

-ing form of “rock” — move back and forth or sideways

From this reading “Ellen and Gilbert are out and mother is rocking Peter to sleep."”

testily adverb US /ˈtestəli/

in a petulant manner

From this reading “"I simply hate cock crow, and you know it," said Kathleen testily.”

tiring adjective US /ˈtaɪrɪŋ/

producing exhaustion

From this reading “"Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.”

tragedies noun US /ˈtrædʒədiz/

plural of “tragedy” — an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

From this reading “"Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.”

wench noun US /wentʃ/

informal terms for a (young) woman

From this reading “"Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.”

All words in this reading · 94

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 "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

accidentsnounUS /ˈæksədənts/

plural of “accident” — an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

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 if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

Ann

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

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

articlesnounUS /ˈɑːrtəkəlz/

plural of “article” — nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

assistverbUS /əˈsɪst/

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

authorsnounUS /ˈɔːθərz/

plural of “author” — writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

Beulah

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

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

breakverbUS /breɪk/

terminate

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

Carey

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

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

CharlestownnounUS /ˈtʃɑːrlstaʊn/

a former town and present-day neighborhood of Boston; settled in 1629

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

cherishedadjectiveUS /ˈtʃerɪʃt/

characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

cockverbUS /kɑːk/

tilt or slant to one side

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

CousinnounUS /ˈkʌzən/

the child of your aunt or uncle

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

crowverbUS /kroʊ/

dwell on with satisfaction

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

Don't

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

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

Ellen

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

From this reading Ellen and Gilbert are out and mother is rocking Peter to sleep."

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

foreveradverbUS /fərˈevər/

for a limitless time

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

GilbertnounUS /ˈɡɪlbərt/

a unit of magnetomotive force equal to 0.7958 ampere-turns

From this reading Ellen and Gilbert are out and mother is rocking Peter to sleep."

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

happenverbUS /ˈhæpən/

come to pass

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

hatenounUS /heɪt/

the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action

From this reading "I simply hate cock crow, and you know it," said Kathleen testily.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "I simply hate cock crow, and you know it," said Kathleen testily.

Kathleen

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

From this reading "I simply hate cock crow, and you know it," said Kathleen testily.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading "I simply hate cock crow, and you know it," said Kathleen testily.

knowsnounUS /noʊz/

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

midnightnounUS /ˈmɪdnaɪt/

12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

mistressnounUS /ˈmɪstrəs/

an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading Ellen and Gilbert are out and mother is rocking Peter to sleep."

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

NancynounUS /ˈnænsi/

a city in northeastern France in Lorraine

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "Why not now?

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading "Why not now?

occurverbUS /əˈkɜːr/

come to pass

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Ellen and Gilbert are out and mother is rocking Peter to sleep."

packverbUS /pæk/

arrange in a container

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

packingnounUS /ˈpækɪŋ/

any material used especially to protect something

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

PeternounUS /ˈpiːtər/

disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope

From this reading Ellen and Gilbert are out and mother is rocking Peter to sleep."

preferverbUS /prəˈfɜːr/

like better; value more highly

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

regulatedadjectiveUS /ˈreɡjəleɪtɪd/

controlled or governed according to rule or principle or law

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

removalnounUS /rɪˈmuːvəl/

the act of removing

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

rockingverbUS /ˈrɑːkɪŋ/

-ing form of “rock” — move back and forth or sideways

From this reading Ellen and Gilbert are out and mother is rocking Peter to sleep."

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "I simply hate cock crow, and you know it," said Kathleen testily.

simplyadverbUS /ˈsɪmpli/

and nothing more

From this reading "I simply hate cock crow, and you know it," said Kathleen testily.

sleepnounUS /sliːp/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading Ellen and Gilbert are out and mother is rocking Peter to sleep."

tasknounUS /tæsk/

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

testilyadverbUS /ˈtestəli/

in a petulant manner

From this reading "I simply hate cock crow, and you know it," said Kathleen testily.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

thoupronounUS /ðaʊ/

an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

tiringadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪrɪŋ/

producing exhaustion

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

tragediesnounUS /ˈtrædʒədiz/

plural of “tragedy” — an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

unknownadjectiveUS /ənˈnoʊn/

not known

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

WatchverbUS /wɑːtʃ/

look attentively

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

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 "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

wenchnounUS /wentʃ/

informal terms for a (young) woman

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

WhynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading "Why not now?

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

Wouldstmodal verbUS /wʊdst/

an old form of “would”, used with “thou”

From this reading But if there are accidents, and _there will be_, my good girl, then the authors of them will be forever unknown to all but thou and I. Wouldst prefer to pack this midnight or at cock crow, for packing is our task!"

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Don't call me 'wench,' because I am the mistress and you my tiring woman, but when you Watch, and assist me, at the packing, a great light will break upon you," Nancy answered "In the removal of cherished articles from Charlestown to Beulah, certain tragedies will occur, certain accidents will happen, although Cousin Ann knows that the Carey family is a well regulated one.

Chapter 3 of Mother Carey's Chickens by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin holds 430 sentences, grouped into 86 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 3 of Mother Carey's Chickens contain?

Chapter 3 holds 430 sentences of Mother Carey's Chickens, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of Mother Carey's Chickens by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 430 sentences, grouped into 86 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 3 of Mother Carey's Chickens?

Work through the 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 86 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 3 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading Mother Carey's Chickens

Common questions about reading Mother Carey's Chickens by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mother Carey's Chickens?

Yes. All 3400 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #10540 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mother Carey's Chickens is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #10540, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mother Carey's Chickens take to read?

About 283 minutes of reading across 680 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through Mother Carey's Chickens section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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Vocabulary met early in Mother Carey's Chickens

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mother Carey's Chickens, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Along
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mother Carey's Chickens; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Flock
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mother Carey's Chickens; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Petrels
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mother Carey's Chickens; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mother
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mother Carey's Chickens; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.