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The Affable Stranger
The Affable Stranger

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of The Affable Stranger is here in full — 106 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Affable Stranger
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.
The transmission of news and the diffusion of propagandas have reduced the world to the same mental level.
For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.
Being full of questions I took my seat beside the chauffeur and invited information.
He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Affable Stranger

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of The Affable Stranger is here in full — 106 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.
Line 2
The transmission of news and the diffusion of propagandas have reduced the world to the same mental level.
Line 3
For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.
/fɔːr ˈɪnstəns ə frend pleɪst hɪz kɑːr æt maɪ dɪˈspoʊzəl soʊ ðæt aɪ kʊd ɡoʊ əˈbaʊt ðə ˈsɪti ˈkʌmfərtəbli ənd ˌekspəˈdɪʃəsli/
Line 4
Being full of questions I took my seat beside the chauffeur and invited information.
/ˈbiːɪŋ fʊl ʌv ˈkwestʃənz aɪ tʊk maɪ siːt bɪˈsaɪd ðə ʃoʊˈfɜːr ənd ˌɪnˈvaɪtəd ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/
Line 5
He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.
/hiː pruːvd tuː biː ə skɪld məˈkænɪk huː hæd left prəˈdʌktɪv wɜːrk tuː draɪv ə kɑːr ɪn ðə ˈsɪti/

Learner Dictionary

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.

chauffeur noun US /ʃoʊˈfɜːr/

a man paid to drive a privately owned car

From this reading “Being full of questions I took my seat beside the chauffeur and invited information.”

conclusions noun US /kənˈkluːʒənz/

plural of “conclusion” — a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration

From this reading “BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.”

diffusion noun US /dɪˈfjuːʒən/

(physics) the process in which there is movement of a substance from an area of high concentration of that substance to an area of lower concentration

From this reading “The transmission of news and the diffusion of propagandas have reduced the world to the same mental level.”

expeditiously adverb US /ˌekspəˈdɪʃəsli/

with efficiency; in an efficient manner

From this reading “For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.”

mechanic noun US /məˈkænɪk/

a craftsman skilled in operating machine tools

From this reading “He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.”

productive adjective US /prəˈdʌktɪv/

producing or capable of producing (especially abundantly)

From this reading “He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.”

skilled adjective US /skɪld/

having or showing or requiring special skill

From this reading “He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.”

transmission noun US /trænˈsmɪʃən/

the act of sending a message; causing a message to be transmitted

From this reading “The transmission of news and the diffusion of propagandas have reduced the world to the same mental level.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

For instance preposition + noun

as an example

In this reading “For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.”

drive a car verb + article + noun counted as “drive … car”

In this reading “He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.”

under the sun preposition + article + noun counted as “under … sun”

In this reading “BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.”

in the city preposition + article + noun counted as “in … city”

In this reading “He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.”

go about verb + particle

begin to deal with

In this reading “For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.”

All words in this reading · 75

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

BACKadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.

Beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Being full of questions I took my seat beside the chauffeur and invited information.

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading Being full of questions I took my seat beside the chauffeur and invited information.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

carnounUS /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

chauffeurnounUS /ʃoʊˈfɜːr/

a man paid to drive a privately owned car

From this reading Being full of questions I took my seat beside the chauffeur and invited information.

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

comfortablyadverbUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbli/

in mental comfort; without stress

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

conclusionsnounUS /kənˈkluːʒənz/

plural of “conclusion” — a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

diffusionnounUS /dɪˈfjuːʒən/

(physics) the process in which there is movement of a substance from an area of high concentration of that substance to an area of lower concentration

From this reading The transmission of news and the diffusion of propagandas have reduced the world to the same mental level.

disposalnounUS /dɪˈspoʊzəl/

the power to use something or someone

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

driveverbUS /draɪv/

operate or control a vehicle

From this reading He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.

Ekfrid

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

expeditiouslyadverbUS /ˌekspəˈdɪʃəsli/

with efficiency; in an efficient manner

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading Being full of questions I took my seat beside the chauffeur and invited information.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The transmission of news and the diffusion of propagandas have reduced the world to the same mental level.

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

informationnounUS /ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/

a message received and understood

From this reading Being full of questions I took my seat beside the chauffeur and invited information.

instancenounUS /ˈɪnstəns/

an occurrence of something

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

invitedverbUS /ˌɪnˈvaɪtəd/

past form of “invite” — increase the likelihood of

From this reading Being full of questions I took my seat beside the chauffeur and invited information.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.

levelnounUS /ˈlevəl/

a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

From this reading The transmission of news and the diffusion of propagandas have reduced the world to the same mental level.

mechanicnounUS /məˈkænɪk/

a craftsman skilled in operating machine tools

From this reading He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.

mentaladjectiveUS /ˈmentəl/

involving the mind or an intellectual process

From this reading The transmission of news and the diffusion of propagandas have reduced the world to the same mental level.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

newsnounUS /nuːz/

information about recent and important events

From this reading The transmission of news and the diffusion of propagandas have reduced the world to the same mental level.

NorconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

opinionsnounUS /əˈpɪnjənz/

plural of “opinion” — a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

placedadjectiveUS /pleɪst/

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

PRIMITIVEadjectiveUS /ˈprɪmətɪv/

belonging to an early stage of technical development; characterized by simplicity and (often) crudeness

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

productiveadjectiveUS /prəˈdʌktɪv/

producing or capable of producing (especially abundantly)

From this reading He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.

propagandas

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The transmission of news and the diffusion of propagandas have reduced the world to the same mental level.

provedadjectiveUS /pruːvd/

established beyond doubt

From this reading He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.

questionsnounUS /ˈkwestʃənz/

plural of “question” — an instance of questioning

From this reading Being full of questions I took my seat beside the chauffeur and invited information.

reducedadjectiveUS /rəˈduːst/

made less in size or amount or degree

From this reading The transmission of news and the diffusion of propagandas have reduced the world to the same mental level.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

seatnounUS /siːt/

a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)

From this reading Being full of questions I took my seat beside the chauffeur and invited information.

skilledadjectiveUS /skɪld/

having or showing or requiring special skill

From this reading He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading For instance: a friend placed his car at my disposal so that I could go about the city comfortably and expeditiously.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

TOparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading Being full of questions I took my seat beside the chauffeur and invited information.

transmissionnounUS /trænˈsmɪʃən/

the act of sending a message; causing a message to be transmitted

From this reading The transmission of news and the diffusion of propagandas have reduced the world to the same mental level.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

viewsnounUS /vjuːz/

plural of “view” — a way of regarding situations or topics etc.

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

wearinessnounUS /ˈwɪrinəs/

temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work

From this reading BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading He proved to be a skilled mechanic who had left productive work to drive a car in the city.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading The transmission of news and the diffusion of propagandas have reduced the world to the same mental level.

YorknounUS /jɔːrk/

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 BACK TO THE PRIMITIVE Nor only is there nothing new under the sun, but in New York I find the same views, opinions, and conclusions that I had heard to the point of weariness even in Ekfrid.

Chapter 3 of The Affable Stranger by Peter McArthur holds 106 sentences, grouped into 22 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.

What does chapter 3 of The Affable Stranger contain?

Chapter 3 holds 106 sentences of The Affable Stranger, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The Affable Stranger by Peter McArthur exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 106 sentences, grouped into 22 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.

How do I study chapter 3 of The Affable Stranger?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 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.

Can chapter 3 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading The Affable Stranger

Common questions about reading The Affable Stranger by Peter McArthur on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Affable Stranger?

Yes. All 1811 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #48128 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Affable Stranger is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #48128, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Affable Stranger take to read?

About 150 minutes of reading across 363 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Affable Stranger section by section

How to work through The Affable Stranger section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 23 chapters of The Affable Stranger to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Affable Stranger

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Affable Stranger, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Clear
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Affable Stranger; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Purpose
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Affable Stranger; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Suggest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Affable Stranger; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Possibilities
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Affable Stranger; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.