Chapter III of The Boys of the Wireless, ““Spooks!”,” is here in full — 127 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter III of The Boys of the Wireless, ““Spooks!”,” is here in full — 127 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Spooks?” repeated Tom, with a stare of wonder. “Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door. “Call it that,” said Mr. Edson, with a quiet smile. “Perhaps I had better say—mysterious happenings.” “What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.
Chapter III of The Boys of the Wireless, ““Spooks!”,” is here in full — 127 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/25 · 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.
plural of “disclosure” — the speech act of making something evident
From this reading ““What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.”
past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate
From this reading ““Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.”
border consisting of anything placed on the edge to finish something (such as a fringe on clothing or on a rug)
From this reading ““Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.”
plural of “happening” — an event that happens
From this reading ““Perhaps I had better say—mysterious happenings.””
causing intense interest, curiosity, or emotion
From this reading ““What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.”
plural of “spook” — someone unpleasantly strange or eccentric
From this reading ““Spooks?” repeated Tom, with a stare of wonder.”
look at with fixed eyes
From this reading ““Spooks?” repeated Tom, with a stare of wonder.”
a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading ““Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.”
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.
a hinged or sliding door in a floor or ceiling
In this reading ““Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.”
In this reading ““What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.”
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 “Spooks?” repeated Tom, with a stare of wonder.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading “What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading “What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading “Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading “Perhaps I had better say—mysterious happenings.”
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading “Call it that,” said Mr. Edson, with a quiet smile.
plural of “disclosure” — the speech act of making something evident
From this reading “What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading “Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.
past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate
From this reading “Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.
border consisting of anything placed on the edge to finish something (such as a fringe on clothing or on a rug)
From this reading “Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Call it that,” said Mr. Edson, with a quiet smile.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “Perhaps I had better say—mysterious happenings.”
plural of “happening” — an event that happens
From this reading “Perhaps I had better say—mysterious happenings.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Perhaps I had better say—mysterious happenings.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading “What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.
having or showing interest; especially curiosity or fascination or concern
From this reading “What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Call it that,” said Mr. Edson, with a quiet smile.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.
a form of address for a man
From this reading “Call it that,” said Mr. Edson, with a quiet smile.
of an obscure nature
From this reading “Perhaps I had better say—mysterious happenings.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Spooks?” repeated Tom, with a stare of wonder.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading “Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.
by chance
From this reading “Perhaps I had better say—mysterious happenings.”
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading “Call it that,” said Mr. Edson, with a quiet smile.
recurring again and again
From this reading “Spooks?” repeated Tom, with a stare of wonder.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Call it that,” said Mr. Edson, with a quiet smile.
express in words
From this reading “Perhaps I had better say—mysterious happenings.”
causing intense interest, curiosity, or emotion
From this reading “What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading “Call it that,” said Mr. Edson, with a quiet smile.
plural of “spook” — someone unpleasantly strange or eccentric
From this reading “Spooks?” repeated Tom, with a stare of wonder.
look at with fixed eyes
From this reading “Spooks?” repeated Tom, with a stare of wonder.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Call it that,” said Mr. Edson, with a quiet smile.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.
male cat
From this reading “Spooks?” repeated Tom, with a stare of wonder.
a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading “Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.
a cold pudding made of layers of sponge cake spread with fruit or jelly; may be decorated with nuts, cream, or chocolate
From this reading “Spooks,” echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What may they be, Mr. Edson?” inquired Ben, always interested in any sensational disclosures.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Spooks?” repeated Tom, with a stare of wonder.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading “Spooks?” repeated Tom, with a stare of wonder.
Chapter 3 of The Boys of the Wireless by Frank V. Webster holds 127 sentences, grouped into 26 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 127 sentences of The Boys of the Wireless, unabridged, divided into 26 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of The Boys of the Wireless by Frank V. Webster exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 127 sentences, grouped into 26 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 26 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 26 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 Boys of the Wireless by Frank V. Webster on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3128 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #35044 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #35044, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 260 minutes of reading across 626 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Boys of the Wireless section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 25 chapters of The Boys of the Wireless 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 Boys of the Wireless, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
