Chapter 3 of Side-stepping with Shorty is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Side-stepping with Shorty is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
But there was no stoppin' her. "Listen," says she to the Tortonis. "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?" "What are the lines?" says Skinny. "You've got to improvise as you go along," says she.
Chapter 3 of Side-stepping with Shorty is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 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.
the wife of a duke or a woman holding ducal title in her own right
From this reading “"Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"”
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading “"Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"”
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading “"Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"”
perform without preparation
From this reading “"You've got to improvise as you go along," says she.”
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading “"What are the lines?" says Skinny.”
hear with intention
From this reading “"Listen," says she to the Tortonis.”
participate in games or sport
From this reading “"Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"”
being very thin
From this reading “"What are the lines?" says Skinny.”
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.
cooperate or pretend to cooperate
In this reading “"You've got to improvise as you go along," says she.”
In this reading “"Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"”
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.
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading "You've got to improvise as you go along," says she.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "What are the lines?" says Skinny.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "You've got to improvise as you go along," says she.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But there was no stoppin' her.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"
the wife of a duke or a woman holding ducal title in her own right
From this reading "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "You've got to improvise as you go along," says she.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "You've got to improvise as you go along," says she.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading But there was no stoppin' her.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"
perform without preparation
From this reading "You've got to improvise as you go along," says she.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading "What are the lines?" says Skinny.
hear with intention
From this reading "Listen," says she to the Tortonis.
not any; not one
From this reading But there was no stoppin' her.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"
participate in games or sport
From this reading "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading "Listen," says she to the Tortonis.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Listen," says she to the Tortonis.
being very thin
From this reading "What are the lines?" says Skinny.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But there was no stoppin' her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Listen," says she to the Tortonis.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But there was no stoppin' her.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Listen," says she to the Tortonis.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Listen," says she to the Tortonis.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But there was no stoppin' her.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What are the lines?" says Skinny.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Can't you play Duke and Duchess of Kildee for an hour or so?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You've got to improvise as you go along," says she.
Chapter 3 of Side-stepping with Shorty by Sewell Ford holds 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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 412 sentences of Side-stepping with Shorty, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Side-stepping with Shorty by Sewell Ford exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 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 Side-stepping with Shorty by Sewell Ford on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4989 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #31659 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #31659, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 415 minutes of reading across 998 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Side-stepping with Shorty section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 12 chapters of Side-stepping with Shorty 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 Side-stepping with Shorty, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
