The Bird in the Box

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of The Bird in the Box is here in full — 183 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Mary M. (Mary Martha) Mears • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for The Bird in the Box

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

However, with his father's death had come a change in the fortunes of the family.

Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.

Narrator

Speed 0.75x

AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter III Reading 1/36

The Bird in the Box Mary M. (Mary Martha) Mears

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of The Bird in the Box is here in full — 183 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth. He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town. However, with his father's death had come a change in the fortunes of the family. Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia. Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.

The Bird in the Box

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of The Bird in the Box is here in full — 183 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/36 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

/ðə sʌn oʊld ˈdeɪvɪd ˈbekɪt ðoʊ hiː ˈnevər spoʊk ɑːn ðə səbˈdʒekt wɑːz ˈhɔːntɪd baɪ ˈmɛm.ə.riz ʌv ə ˈtʃaɪldhʊd pæst əˈmɪd siːnz ʌv rəˈfaɪnmənt ənd welθ/

Line 2

He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

/hiː hæd ə ˈheɪzi ˌɪmˈpreʃən ðæt hɪz ˈfɑːðər hæd bɪn ə ˈdʒentəlmən ʌv ˈloʊkəl dɪˈstɪŋkʃən ɪn ə kəˈneɪdiən taʊn/

Line 3

However, with his father's death had come a change in the fortunes of the family.

/ˌhaʊˈevər wɪð hɪz ˈfɑːðərz deθ hæd kʌm ə tʃeɪndʒ ɪn ðə ˈfɔːrtʃənz ʌv ðə ˈfæməli/

Line 4

Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

/ɪts ˈmembərz hæd ˈdrɪftəd əˈpɑːrt ənd ˈdeɪvɪd hɪmˈself æt ðə taɪm ˈskersli mɔːr ðæn ə tʃaɪld hæd ɡɔːn tuː ˌfɪləˈdelfiə/

Line 5

Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.

/jɪr ˈæftər jɪr hiː hæd wɜːrkt ɪn ðə kɑːr ʃɑːps ənˈtɪl ðə led ɪn ðə peɪnt hæd əˈfektɪd hɪz helθ/

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.

Beckett noun US /ˈbekɪt/

a playwright and novelist (born in Ireland) who lived in France; wrote plays for the theater of the absurd (1906-1989)

From this reading “THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.”

Canadian adjective US /kəˈneɪdiən/

of or relating to Canada or its people

From this reading “He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.”

drifted verb US /ˈdrɪftəd/

past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading “Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.”

haunted adjective US /ˈhɔːntɪd/

having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something

From this reading “THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.”

hazy adjective US /ˈheɪzi/

filled or abounding with fog or mist

From this reading “He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.”

Philadelphia noun US /ˌfɪləˈdelfiə/

the largest city in Pennsylvania; located in the southeastern part of the state on the Delaware river; site of Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed; site of the University of Pennsylvania

From this reading “Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.”

refinement noun US /rəˈfaɪnmənt/

a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality

From this reading “THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.”

shops noun US /ʃɑːps/

plural of “shop” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading “Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.”

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.

drifted apart verb + particle counted as “drift apart”

lose personal contact over time

In this reading “Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.”

on the subject preposition + article + noun counted as “on … subject”

In this reading “THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.”

father's death noun + noun counted as “father death”

In this reading “However, with his father's death had come a change in the fortunes of the family.”

scarcely more adverb + adjective

In this reading “Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.”

after year preposition + noun

In this reading “Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.”

change in verb + particle

In this reading “However, with his father's death had come a change in the fortunes of the family.”

at the time preposition + article + noun counted as “at … time”

simultaneously

In this reading “Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.”

All words in this reading · 69

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 THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

affectedadjectiveUS /əˈfektɪd/

acted upon; influenced

From this reading Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.

amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/

in the middle of; surrounded by

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

apartadverbUS /əˈpɑːrt/

separated or at a distance in place or position or time

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

BeckettnounUS /ˈbekɪt/

a playwright and novelist (born in Ireland) who lived in France; wrote plays for the theater of the absurd (1906-1989)

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

CanadianadjectiveUS /kəˈneɪdiən/

of or relating to Canada or its people

From this reading He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

carnounUS /kɑːr/

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

From this reading Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.

changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading However, with his father's death had come a change in the fortunes of the family.

childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

childhoodnounUS /ˈtʃaɪldhʊd/

the time of person's life when they are a child

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading However, with his father's death had come a change in the fortunes of the family.

DavidnounUS /ˈdeɪvɪd/

patron saint of Wales (circa 520-600)

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading However, with his father's death had come a change in the fortunes of the family.

distinctionnounUS /dɪˈstɪŋkʃən/

a discrimination between things as different and distinct on the basis of their characteristics or attributes

From this reading He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/

past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading However, with his father's death had come a change in the fortunes of the family.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/

possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading However, with his father's death had come a change in the fortunes of the family.

fortunesnounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃənz/

plural of “fortune” — an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading However, with his father's death had come a change in the fortunes of the family.

gentlemannounUS /ˈdʒentəlmən/

a man of refinement

From this reading He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

hauntedadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːntɪd/

having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

hazyadjectiveUS /ˈheɪzi/

filled or abounding with fog or mist

From this reading He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

healthnounUS /helθ/

a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease

From this reading Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

HoweveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading However, with his father's death had come a change in the fortunes of the family.

impressionnounUS /ˌɪmˈpreʃən/

a vague idea in which some confidence is placed

From this reading He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

ItsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

leadverbUS /led/

take somebody somewhere

From this reading Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.

localadjectiveUS /ˈloʊkəl/

relating to or applicable to or concerned with the administration of a city or town or district rather than a larger area

From this reading He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

membersnounUS /ˈmembərz/

plural of “member” — one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

memoriesnounUS /ˈmɛm.ə.riz/

Recollections of past events.

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

OldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

paintverbUS /peɪnt/

make a painting

From this reading Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

PhiladelphianounUS /ˌfɪləˈdelfiə/

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

refinementnounUS /rəˈfaɪnmənt/

a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

scarcelyadverbUS /ˈskersli/

only a very short time before

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

scenesnounUS /siːnz/

plural of “scene” — the place where some action occurs

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

shopsnounUS /ʃɑːps/

plural of “shop” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.

spokenounUS /spoʊk/

support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

subjectnounUS /səbˈdʒekt/

the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

SUNnounUS /sʌn/

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

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Its members had drifted apart, and David himself, at the time scarcely more than a child, had gone to Philadelphia.

townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading He had a hazy impression that his father had been a gentleman of local distinction in a Canadian town.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

wealthnounUS /welθ/

the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money

From this reading THE SUN Old David Beckett, though he never spoke on the subject, was haunted by memories of a childhood passed amid scenes of refinement and wealth.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading However, with his father's death had come a change in the fortunes of the family.

workedverbUS /wɜːrkt/

past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.

YearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading Year after year he had worked in the car shops until the lead in the paint had affected his health.

Chapter 3 of The Bird in the Box by Mary M. (Mary Martha) Mears holds 183 sentences, grouped into 37 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 Bird in the Box contain?

Chapter 3 holds 183 sentences of The Bird in the Box, unabridged, divided into 37 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The Bird in the Box by Mary M. (Mary Martha) Mears exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 183 sentences, grouped into 37 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 Bird in the Box?

Work through the 37 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 37 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 Bird in the Box

Common questions about reading The Bird in the Box by Mary M. (Mary Martha) Mears on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Bird in the Box?

Yes. All 5304 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #55816 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Bird in the Box is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #55816, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Bird in the Box take to read?

About 442 minutes of reading across 1061 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Bird in the Box section by section

How to work through The Bird in the Box section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 35 chapters of The Bird in the Box to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The Bird in the Box

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Bird in the Box, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bird in the Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Breath: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bird in the Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Runners: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bird in the Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Birth: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bird in the Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter III

What does chapter 3 of The Bird in the Box contain?

How do I study chapter 3 of The Bird in the Box?

Can chapter 3 be read aloud to me?

Questions about reading The Bird in the Box

How to read The Bird in the Box section by section

Open a chapter

Read one section

Listen and tap

Vocabulary met early in The Bird in the Box