Chapter 39 of Sister Carrie is here in full — 343 sentences across 69 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXXIX
Chapter 39 of Sister Carrie is here in full — 343 sentences across 69 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear. It included a familiar voice. "Never mind, now. I want to see Miss Madenda." "You'll have to send in your card."
Chapter 39 of Sister Carrie is here in full — 343 sentences across 69 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/68 · 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.
one of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes
From this reading “"You'll have to send in your card."”
a disorderly outburst or tumult
From this reading “STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.”
a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance)
From this reading “STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.”
enclosed in the same envelope or package
From this reading “It included a familiar voice.”
agitating a liquid with an implement
From this reading “STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.”
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading “STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.”
plural of “touch” — the event of something coming in contact with the body
From this reading “STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.”
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading “STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.”
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 STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
one of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes
From this reading "You'll have to send in your card."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
a disorderly outburst or tumult
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading It included a familiar voice.
a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance)
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "You'll have to send in your card."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I want to see Miss Madenda."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
enclosed in the same envelope or package
From this reading It included a familiar voice.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It included a familiar voice.
the act of departing
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I want to see Miss Madenda."
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading "Never mind, now.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading I want to see Miss Madenda."
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "Never mind, now.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Never mind, now.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading I want to see Miss Madenda."
cause to go somewhere
From this reading "You'll have to send in your card."
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
agitating a liquid with an implement
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
plural of “touch” — the event of something coming in contact with the body
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading It included a familiar voice.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading I want to see Miss Madenda."
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
at the time that
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS Playing in New York one evening on this her return, Carrie was putting the finishing touches to her toilet before leaving for the night, when a commotion near the stage door caught her ear.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You'll have to send in your card."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You'll have to send in your card."
Chapter 39 of Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser holds 343 sentences, grouped into 69 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 39 holds 343 sentences of Sister Carrie, unabridged, divided into 69 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 39 of Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 343 sentences, grouped into 69 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 69 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 69 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 39 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 Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 12164 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5267 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #5267, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 2433 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Sister Carrie section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Sister Carrie 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 Sister Carrie, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
