Chapter 3 of Oldtown Fireside Stories is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Oldtown Fireside Stories is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Well, how was it about digging for it? Tell us, did _you_ do it? Were _you_ there? Did you see it? And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.
Chapter 3 of Oldtown Fireside Stories is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/85 · 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.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.”
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading “And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.”
the act of digging
From this reading ““Well, how was it about digging for it?”
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading “And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.”
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.”
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “Did you see it?”
express in words
From this reading “Tell us, did _you_ do it?”
(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 ““Well, how was it about digging for it?”
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.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “Well, how was it about digging for it?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.
the two together, not just one
From this reading And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Tell us, did _you_ do it?
the act of digging
From this reading “Well, how was it about digging for it?
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Tell us, did _you_ do it?
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “Well, how was it about digging for it?
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, how was it about digging for it?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Well, how was it about digging for it?
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Did you see it?
express in words
From this reading Tell us, did _you_ do it?
in or at that place or location
From this reading Were _you_ there?
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Tell us, did _you_ do it?
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Well, how was it about digging for it?
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.
(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 “Well, how was it about digging for it?
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Were _you_ there?
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading And why couldn’t they get it?” we both asked eagerly and in one breath.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Tell us, did _you_ do it?
Chapter 3 of Oldtown Fireside Stories by Harriet Beecher Stowe holds 429 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.
Chapter 3 holds 429 sentences of Oldtown Fireside Stories, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Oldtown Fireside Stories by Harriet Beecher Stowe exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 429 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.
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.
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 Oldtown Fireside Stories by Harriet Beecher Stowe on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1279 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #22320 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #22320, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 106 minutes of reading across 256 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Oldtown Fireside Stories section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 3 chapters of Oldtown Fireside Stories 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 Oldtown Fireside Stories, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
