Chapter 3 of "Speaking of Operations--" is here in full — 169 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of "Speaking of Operations--" is here in full — 169 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
I waved the nurse away. I craved solitude. I desired only to lie there in that bed and hurt--which I did. I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only. It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.
Chapter 3 of "Speaking of Operations--" is here in full — 169 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/33 · 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.
being ahead of time or need
From this reading “I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only.”
wanted intensely
From this reading “I craved solitude.”
in or to another place
From this reading “It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.”
expel (gases or odors)
From this reading “It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.”
inflected form of “refer” — make reference to
From this reading “It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.”
a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote
From this reading “It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.”
a state of social isolation
From this reading “I craved solitude.”
past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading “I waved the nurse away.”
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 to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I desired only to lie there in that bed and hurt--which I did.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading I waved the nurse away.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading I desired only to lie there in that bed and hurt--which I did.
being ahead of time or need
From this reading I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only.
wanted intensely
From this reading I craved solitude.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only.
wanted intensely
From this reading I desired only to lie there in that bed and hurt--which I did.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading I desired only to lie there in that bed and hurt--which I did.
in or to another place
From this reading It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.
expel (gases or odors)
From this reading It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.
be the source of pain
From this reading I desired only to lie there in that bed and hurt--which I did.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I waved the nurse away.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I desired only to lie there in that bed and hurt--which I did.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.
the sound of laughing
From this reading It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading I desired only to lie there in that bed and hurt--which I did.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only.
try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury
From this reading I waved the nurse away.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.
and nothing more
From this reading I desired only to lie there in that bed and hurt--which I did.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only.
inflected form of “refer” — make reference to
From this reading It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.
a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote
From this reading It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only.
a state of social isolation
From this reading I craved solitude.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I desired only to lie there in that bed and hurt--which I did.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I waved the nurse away.
in or at that place or location
From this reading I desired only to lie there in that bed and hurt--which I did.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I desired only to lie there in that bed and hurt--which I did.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading I had said beforehand I meant to stay in St. Germicide's for two or three days only.
past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading I waved the nurse away.
at the time that
From this reading It is when I look back on that resolution I emit the hollow laugh elsewhere referred to.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I desired only to lie there in that bed and hurt--which I did.
Chapter 3 of "Speaking of Operations--" by Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury) Cobb holds 169 sentences, grouped into 34 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 169 sentences of "Speaking of Operations--", unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of "Speaking of Operations--" by Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury) Cobb exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 169 sentences, grouped into 34 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 34 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 34 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 "Speaking of Operations--" by Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury) Cobb on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 519 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1890 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1890, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 43 minutes of reading across 104 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through "Speaking of Operations--" section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 3 chapters of "Speaking of Operations--" 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 "Speaking of Operations--", each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
