Chapter 4 of Motor Matt's Engagement is here in full — 147 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Motor Matt's Engagement is here in full — 147 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
AN EAVESDROPPER. Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time. Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific. Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question. After that, Ping had his say.
Chapter 4 of Motor Matt's Engagement is here in full — 147 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/29 · 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.
-ing form of “drown” — cover completely or make imperceptible
From this reading “Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.”
make plain and comprehensible
From this reading “Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.”
a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves)
From this reading “Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.”
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading “Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.”
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading “Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.”
hit with a pinging noise
From this reading “Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.”
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading “Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.”
very great or intense
From this reading “Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.”
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.
In this reading “Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.”
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 Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question.
later than; following
From this reading After that, Ping had his say.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN EAVESDROPPER.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.
the two together, not just one
From this reading Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question.
-ing form of “drown” — cover completely or make imperceptible
From this reading Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.
a secret listener to private conversations
From this reading AN EAVESDROPPER.
make plain and comprehensible
From this reading Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading After that, Ping had his say.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.
a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves)
From this reading Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.
above and across; more than
From this reading Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question.
hit with a pinging noise
From this reading Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question.
Identical; not different.
From this reading Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.
express in words
From this reading After that, Ping had his say.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Finally McGlory got a hand over the Chinaman's mouth, and Carl was able to give his side of the question.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.
very great or intense
From this reading Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading After that, Ping had his say.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading Both Carl and Ping tried to explain matters at the same time.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Each talked loud, in the hope of drowning out the other, and the jargon was terrific.
Chapter 4 of Motor Matt's Engagement by Stanley R. Matthews holds 147 sentences, grouped into 30 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 4 holds 147 sentences of Motor Matt's Engagement, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Motor Matt's Engagement by Stanley R. Matthews exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 147 sentences, grouped into 30 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 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 30 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 4 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 Motor Matt's Engagement by Stanley R. Matthews on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2329 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #52138 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #52138, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 194 minutes of reading across 466 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Motor Matt's Engagement section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 17 chapters of Motor Matt's Engagement 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 Motor Matt's Engagement, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
