Chapter 3 of The Big Otter is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of The Big Otter is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached. "Yes, Big Otter sees signs," was the reply. "And what may the signs be?" "Signs of wind and rain and thunder." "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
Chapter 3 of The Big Otter is here in full — 406 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.
past form of “approach” — move towards
From this reading “"Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.”
the fur of an otter
From this reading “"Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.”
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading “"Signs of wind and rain and thunder."”
any of various typically terrestrial amphibians that resemble lizards and that return to water only to breed
From this reading “"Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.”
plural of “see” — the seat within a bishop's diocese where his cathedral is located
From this reading “"Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.”
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading “"Yes, Big Otter sees signs," was the reply.”
move fast, noisily, and heavily
From this reading “"Signs of wind and rain and thunder."”
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading “"Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.”
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 "And what may the signs be?"
past form of “approach” — move towards
From this reading "Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "And what may the signs be?"
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "And what may the signs be?"
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
not any; not one
From this reading "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Signs of wind and rain and thunder."
the fur of an otter
From this reading "Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading "Signs of wind and rain and thunder."
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading "Yes, Big Otter sees signs," was the reply.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.
any of various typically terrestrial amphibians that resemble lizards and that return to water only to breed
From this reading "Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.
plural of “see” — the seat within a bishop's diocese where his cathedral is located
From this reading "Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading "Yes, Big Otter sees signs," was the reply.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading "Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
express a supposition
From this reading "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Yes, Big Otter sees signs," was the reply.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading "Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.
move fast, noisily, and heavily
From this reading "Signs of wind and rain and thunder."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Yes, Big Otter sees signs," was the reply.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Big Otter sees something," said Lumley through Salamander as we approached.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "And what may the signs be?"
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading "Signs of wind and rain and thunder."
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, Big Otter sees signs," was the reply.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Well, I suppose you know best but no such signs are visible to me.
Chapter 3 of The Big Otter by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne holds 406 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 3 holds 406 sentences of The Big Otter, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of The Big Otter by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 406 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 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 The Big Otter by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4498 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21718 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21718, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 374 minutes of reading across 900 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Big Otter section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 11 chapters of The Big Otter 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 The Big Otter, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
