Chapter 2 of Quintus Oakes: A Detective Story is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Quintus Oakes: A Detective Story is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Well, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd. If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also. We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look." "I do not exactly understand," said I, "but I presume you do." "Precisely.
Chapter 2 of Quintus Oakes: A Detective Story is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/83 · 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.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading “If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.”
comparative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading “We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."”
something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading “We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."”
recognize as being; establish the identity of someone or something
From this reading “"Well, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd.”
plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished
From this reading “We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."”
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading “"Precisely.”
take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof
From this reading “"I do not exactly understand," said I, "but I presume you do."”
having great material or monetary value especially for use or exchange
From this reading “If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.”
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 “If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.”
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 "Well, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading "Well, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd.
in addition
From this reading If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Well, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "I do not exactly understand," said I, "but I presume you do."
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading "Well, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "I do not exactly understand," said I, "but I presume you do."
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.
comparative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading "Well, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd.
something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading "I do not exactly understand," said I, "but I presume you do."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Well, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd.
recognize as being; establish the identity of someone or something
From this reading "Well, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Well, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "I do not exactly understand," said I, "but I presume you do."
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."
plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished
From this reading We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading "Precisely.
take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof
From this reading "I do not exactly understand," said I, "but I presume you do."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I do not exactly understand," said I, "but I presume you do."
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Well, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading "I do not exactly understand," said I, "but I presume you do."
having great material or monetary value especially for use or exchange
From this reading If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.
structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired
From this reading If I know how you are dressed, it might be valuable in several other ways also.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."
(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, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading We may have to change our plans, in which event it will be easier for me if I know how you look."
hope for; have a wish
From this reading "Well, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Well, I wish to be able to identify you easily in a crowd.
Chapter 2 of Quintus Oakes: A Detective Story by Charles Ross Jackson holds 416 sentences, grouped into 84 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 2 holds 416 sentences of Quintus Oakes: A Detective Story, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Quintus Oakes: A Detective Story by Charles Ross Jackson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 416 sentences, grouped into 84 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 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 84 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 2 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 Quintus Oakes: A Detective Story by Charles Ross Jackson on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3671 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #41790 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #41790, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 305 minutes of reading across 735 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Quintus Oakes: A Detective Story section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 9 chapters of Quintus Oakes: A Detective Story 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 Quintus Oakes: A Detective Story, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
