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The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales
The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is here in full — 169 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales
Context Illustration Reading 1/33 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.
Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.
His companion picked it out of his hand and examined it with the eye of an expert.
This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.
Indeed you are wrong,” John answered, smiling; I never cut one before in my life.”
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is here in full — 169 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/33 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.
Line 2
Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.
Line 3
His companion picked it out of his hand and examined it with the eye of an expert.
Line 4
This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.
Line 5
Indeed you are wrong,” John answered, smiling; “I never cut one before in my life.”

All words in this reading · 83

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.

a

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

an

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

From this reading His companion picked it out of his hand and examined it with the eye of an expert.

and

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

answered

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

From this reading “Indeed you are wrong,” John answered, smiling; “I never cut one before in my life.”

are

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

From this reading “Indeed you are wrong,” John answered, smiling; “I never cut one before in my life.”

automatically

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

bark

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

before

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

From this reading “Indeed you are wrong,” John answered, smiling; “I never cut one before in my life.”

by

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

From this reading “This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.

companion

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

From this reading His companion picked it out of his hand and examined it with the eye of an expert.

cork

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

cut

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

From this reading “This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.

cuts

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

deft

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

doing

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

England

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

examined

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

From this reading His companion picked it out of his hand and examined it with the eye of an expert.

expert

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

From this reading His companion picked it out of his hand and examined it with the eye of an expert.

eye

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

From this reading His companion picked it out of his hand and examined it with the eye of an expert.

factory

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

fashioned

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

firm

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

first

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

From this reading “This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.

foreman

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

had

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

hand

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

From this reading His companion picked it out of his hand and examined it with the eye of an expert.

Hardy

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

From this reading “This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.

have

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

From this reading “This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.

he

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

him

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

his

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

hundred

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

From this reading “This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.

I

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

From this reading “Indeed you are wrong,” John answered, smiling; “I never cut one before in my life.”

in

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

Indeed

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

From this reading “Indeed you are wrong,” John answered, smiling; “I never cut one before in my life.”

interests

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

into

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

is

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

From this reading “This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.

it

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

John

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

journey

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

knowing

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

leave

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

life

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

From this reading “Indeed you are wrong,” John answered, smiling; “I never cut one before in my life.”

many

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

From this reading “This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.

Mr

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

From this reading “This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.

my

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

From this reading “Indeed you are wrong,” John answered, smiling; “I never cut one before in my life.”

never

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

From this reading “Indeed you are wrong,” John answered, smiling; “I never cut one before in my life.”

not

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

From this reading “This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.

occasion

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

of

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

On

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

one

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

or

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

out

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

From this reading His companion picked it out of his hand and examined it with the eye of an expert.

penknife

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

picked

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

piece

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

Quebec

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

remarked

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

From this reading “This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.

smiling

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

From this reading “Indeed you are wrong,” John answered, smiling; “I never cut one before in my life.”

smooth

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

square

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

Strolling

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

tapering

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

tempted

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

the

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

This

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

From this reading “This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.

three

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

through

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

to

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

two

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

up

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

very

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

visit

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

was

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

what

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

which

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

From this reading On one occasion he had, in the interests of the firm, to journey to Quebec, and to visit the very cork factory which had tempted him to leave England.

with

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

without

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

workroom

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

From this reading Strolling through the workroom with the foreman, John automatically, and without knowing what he was doing, picked up a square piece of the bark, and fashioned it with two or three deft cuts of his penknife into a smooth tapering cork.

wrong

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

From this reading “Indeed you are wrong,” John answered, smiling; “I never cut one before in my life.”

you

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

From this reading “This is not the first cork which you have cut by many a hundred, Mr. Hardy,” he remarked.

Chapter 16 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales by Arthur Conan Doyle holds 169 sentences, grouped into 34 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 16 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales contain?

Chapter 16 holds 169 sentences of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales by Arthur Conan Doyle exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 169 sentences, grouped into 34 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 16 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales?

Work through the 34 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 34 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 16 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Common questions about reading The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales by Arthur Conan Doyle on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales?

Yes. All 4188 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #294 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #294, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales take to read?

About 349 minutes of reading across 838 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales section by section

How to work through The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 25 chapters of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales 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 Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Other
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tales
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Preface
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Following
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.