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Our American Cousin
Our American Cousin

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Our American Cousin is here in full — 273 sentences across 55 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Our American Cousin
Context Illustration Reading 1/54 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.
Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?
Flo Do you think I had the heart to tell her of her misfortune?
Asa Wal, darn me, if you didn't show your good sense at any rate.
[Goes up to dairy.]
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.

Our American Cousin

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Our American Cousin is here in full — 273 sentences across 55 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/54 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.
Line 2
Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?
Line 3
Flo Do you think I had the heart to tell her of her misfortune?
Line 4
Asa Wal, darn me, if you didn't show your good sense at any rate.
Line 5
[Goes up to dairy.]
/ɡoʊz ʌp tuː ˈderi/

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.

dairy noun US /ˈderi/

a farm where dairy products are produced

From this reading “[Goes up to dairy.]”

darn verb US /dɑːrn/

repair by sewing

From this reading “Asa Wal, darn me, if you didn't show your good sense at any rate.”

darned adjective US /dɑːrnd/

expletives used informally as intensifiers

From this reading “Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?”

direct verb US /dərˈekt/

command with authority

From this reading “Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.”

misfortune noun US /mɪˈsfɔːrtʃən/

unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event

From this reading “Flo Do you think I had the heart to tell her of her misfortune?”

property noun US /ˈprɑːpərti/

something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone

From this reading “Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?”

rate noun US /reɪt/

a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit

From this reading “Asa Wal, darn me, if you didn't show your good sense at any rate.”

relation noun US /riˈleɪʃən/

an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together

From this reading “Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.”

All words in this reading · 55

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.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Asa Wal, darn me, if you didn't show your good sense at any rate.

Asa

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

From this reading Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

cousinnounUS /ˈkʌzən/

the child of your aunt or uncle

From this reading Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?

dairynounUS /ˈderi/

a farm where dairy products are produced

From this reading [Goes up to dairy.]

darnverbUS /dɑːrn/

repair by sewing

From this reading Asa Wal, darn me, if you didn't show your good sense at any rate.

darnedadjectiveUS /dɑːrnd/

expletives used informally as intensifiers

From this reading Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?

didn't

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

From this reading Asa Wal, darn me, if you didn't show your good sense at any rate.

directverbUS /dərˈekt/

command with authority

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

Doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Flo Do you think I had the heart to tell her of her misfortune?

Don't

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

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

Flo

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

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

fortunenounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃən/

an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

GoesnounUS /ɡoʊz/

plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)

From this reading [Goes up to dairy.]

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading Asa Wal, darn me, if you didn't show your good sense at any rate.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Flo Do you think I had the heart to tell her of her misfortune?

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Flo Do you think I had the heart to tell her of her misfortune?

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Asa Wal, darn me, if you didn't show your good sense at any rate.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?

linenounUS /laɪn/

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

MarynounUS /ˈmeri/

the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

misfortunenounUS /mɪˈsfɔːrtʃən/

unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event

From this reading Flo Do you think I had the heart to tell her of her misfortune?

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Flo Do you think I had the heart to tell her of her misfortune?

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

propertynounUS /ˈprɑːpərti/

something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone

From this reading Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?

ratenounUS /reɪt/

a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit

From this reading Asa Wal, darn me, if you didn't show your good sense at any rate.

relationnounUS /riˈleɪʃən/

an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

SayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading Asa Wal, darn me, if you didn't show your good sense at any rate.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

showverbUS /ʃoʊ/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading Flo Do you think I had the heart to tell her of her misfortune?

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading Flo Do you think I had the heart to tell her of her misfortune?

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading [Goes up to dairy.]

Wal

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

From this reading Asa Wal, darn me, if you didn't show your good sense at any rate.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading Flo Don't show it to me, I don't want to look at it, the fortune should have come to Mary, she is the only relation in the direct line.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?

you've

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

From this reading Asa Say, cousin, you've not told her that darned property was left to me, have you?

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Asa Wal, darn me, if you didn't show your good sense at any rate.

Chapter 3 of Our American Cousin by Tom Taylor holds 273 sentences, grouped into 55 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 Our American Cousin contain?

Chapter 3 holds 273 sentences of Our American Cousin, unabridged, divided into 55 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of Our American Cousin by Tom Taylor exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 273 sentences, grouped into 55 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 Our American Cousin?

Work through the 55 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 55 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 Our American Cousin

Common questions about reading Our American Cousin by Tom Taylor on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Our American Cousin?

Yes. All 1101 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3158 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Our American Cousin is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3158, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Our American Cousin take to read?

About 91 minutes of reading across 221 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Our American Cousin section by section

How to work through Our American Cousin section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 4 chapters of Our American Cousin 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 Our American Cousin

Words and structures a reader meets early in Our American Cousin, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Coyle
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Our American Cousin; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pompous
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Our American Cousin; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Baronet
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Our American Cousin; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Precipice
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Our American Cousin; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.