Chapter 16 of Tar and feathers is here in full — 408 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVI
Chapter 16 of Tar and feathers is here in full — 408 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“You’re right,” cried Robert. “You are absolutely right. Perhaps you didn’t know it. I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.” No one showed surprise.
Chapter 16 of Tar and feathers is here in full — 408 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 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.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading ““You are absolutely right.”
at the present or from now on; usually used with a negative
From this reading “I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.””
one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading “I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.””
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading “I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.””
United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)
From this reading ““You’re right,” cried Robert.”
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading “No one showed surprise.”
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading “No one showed surprise.”
a social division of (usually preliterate) people
From this reading “I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.””
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.
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 I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.”
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading “You are absolutely right.
at the present or from now on; usually used with a negative
From this reading I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.”
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “You are absolutely right.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.”
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading “You’re right,” cried Robert.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps you didn’t know it.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Perhaps you didn’t know it.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Perhaps you didn’t know it.
one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.”
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.”
not any; not one
From this reading No one showed surprise.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading No one showed surprise.
by chance
From this reading Perhaps you didn’t know it.
precisely, exactly
From this reading “You’re right,” cried Robert.
United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)
From this reading “You’re right,” cried Robert.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading No one showed surprise.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading No one showed surprise.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.”
a social division of (usually preliterate) people
From this reading I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’m a member of the Tribe myself--but I won’t be anymore.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You are absolutely right.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You’re right,” cried Robert.
Chapter 16 of Tar and feathers by Victor Rubin holds 408 sentences, grouped into 82 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 16 holds 408 sentences of Tar and feathers, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 16 of Tar and feathers by Victor Rubin exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 408 sentences, grouped into 82 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 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 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 16 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 Tar and feathers by Victor Rubin on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6678 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #73731 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #73731, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 556 minutes of reading across 1336 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Tar and feathers section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 16 chapters of Tar and feathers 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 Tar and feathers, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
