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Motor Matt's Clue
Motor Matt's Clue

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of Motor Matt's Clue is here in full — 355 sentences across 71 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Motor Matt's Clue
Context Illustration Reading 1/71 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE LUCK OF DICK FERRAL.
Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.
They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.
Mr. Lawton stepped forward and caught Matt cordially by the hand.
"Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Motor Matt's Clue

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of Motor Matt's Clue is here in full — 355 sentences across 71 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/71 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE LUCK OF DICK FERRAL.
Line 2
Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.
Line 3
They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.
Line 4
Mr. Lawton stepped forward and caught Matt cordially by the hand.
/ˈmɪstər ˈlɔːtən stept ˈfɔːrwərd ənd kɑːt mæt ˈkɔːrdʒəli baɪ ðə hænd/
Line 5
"Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.
/mæt sed hiː juː hæv bɪn ə stæntʃ frend ʌv dɪks ɪn ðə ˈlɪtəl taɪm juː hæv noʊn hɪm ənd juː hæv twaɪs seɪvd hɪz laɪf/

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.

brief adjective US /briːf/

of short duration or distance

From this reading “They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.”

cordially adverb US /ˈkɔːrdʒəli/

in a hearty manner

From this reading “Mr. Lawton stepped forward and caught Matt cordially by the hand.”

Dick's noun US /dɪks/

possessive form of “dick” — someone who is a detective

From this reading “"Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.”

Lawton noun US /ˈlɔːtən/

a town in southwest Oklahoma

From this reading “Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.”

luck noun US /lʌk/

your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

From this reading “THE LUCK OF DICK FERRAL.”

Matt noun US /mæt/

the property of having little or no contrast; lacking highlights or gloss

From this reading “Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.”

parlor noun US /ˈpɑːrlər/

reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received

From this reading “Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.”

stanch verb US /stæntʃ/

stop the flow of a liquid

From this reading “"Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

talk together verb + particle

In this reading “They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.”

in the parlor preposition + article + noun counted as “in … parlor”

In this reading “Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.”

by the hand preposition + article + noun counted as “by … hand”

In this reading “Mr. Lawton stepped forward and caught Matt cordially by the hand.”

little time adjective + noun

In this reading “"Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.”

look on verb + particle

observe with attention

In this reading “They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.”

All words in this reading · 53

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 They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

briefadjectiveUS /briːf/

of short duration or distance

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Mr. Lawton stepped forward and caught Matt cordially by the hand.

Carl

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

From this reading Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.

caughtverbUS /kɑːt/

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading Mr. Lawton stepped forward and caught Matt cordially by the hand.

cordiallyadverbUS /ˈkɔːrdʒəli/

in a hearty manner

From this reading Mr. Lawton stepped forward and caught Matt cordially by the hand.

DICKnounUS /dɪk/

someone who is a detective

From this reading THE LUCK OF DICK FERRAL.

Dick'snounUS /dɪks/

possessive form of “dick” — someone who is a detective

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

FERRAL

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

From this reading THE LUCK OF DICK FERRAL.

Ferral's

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

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/

at or to or toward the front

From this reading Mr. Lawton stepped forward and caught Matt cordially by the hand.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading Mr. Lawton stepped forward and caught Matt cordially by the hand.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.

knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

LawtonnounUS /ˈlɔːtən/

a town in southwest Oklahoma

From this reading Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.

Lawton's

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

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

LUCKnounUS /lʌk/

your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

From this reading THE LUCK OF DICK FERRAL.

MattnounUS /mæt/

the property of having little or no contrast; lacking highlights or gloss

From this reading Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.

metverbUS /met/

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE LUCK OF DICK FERRAL.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

parlornounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/

reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received

From this reading Mr. Lawton and Ferral met Matt and Carl in the parlor.

pleasedadjectiveUS /pliːzd/

experiencing or manifesting pleasure

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

savedadjectiveUS /seɪvd/

rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

stanchverbUS /stæntʃ/

stop the flow of a liquid

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

steppedverbUS /stept/

inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step

From this reading Mr. Lawton stepped forward and caught Matt cordially by the hand.

talkverbUS /tɔːk/

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE LUCK OF DICK FERRAL.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

twiceadverbUS /twaɪs/

two times

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading They had been having a brief talk together, and there was a pleased look on Lawton's face and a happy light in Ferral's eyes.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Matt," said he, "you have been a stanch friend of Dick's in the little time you have known him, and you have twice saved his life.

Chapter 18 of Motor Matt's Clue by Stanley R. Matthews holds 355 sentences, grouped into 71 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 18 of Motor Matt's Clue contain?

Chapter 18 holds 355 sentences of Motor Matt's Clue, unabridged, divided into 71 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of Motor Matt's Clue by Stanley R. Matthews exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 355 sentences, grouped into 71 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 18 of Motor Matt's Clue?

Work through the 71 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 71 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 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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 Motor Matt's Clue

Common questions about reading Motor Matt's Clue by Stanley R. Matthews on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Motor Matt's Clue?

Yes. All 2380 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #47625 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Motor Matt's Clue is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #47625, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Motor Matt's Clue take to read?

About 198 minutes of reading across 476 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Motor Matt's Clue section by section

How to work through Motor Matt's Clue section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of Motor Matt's Clue 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 Motor Matt's Clue

Words and structures a reader meets early in Motor Matt's Clue, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Stanley
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Motor Matt's Clue; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Matthews
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Motor Matt's Clue; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Issued
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Motor Matt's Clue; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Weekly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Motor Matt's Clue; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.