Chapter 16 of The Cat's Paw is here in full — 118 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVI
Chapter 16 of The Cat's Paw is here in full — 118 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car. "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige. Kitty's hesitation was brief. "Indeed I would!" she exclaimed. "I feel all keyed up--" Craige smiled indulgently.
Chapter 16 of The Cat's Paw is here in full — 118 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/23 · 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.
come together
From this reading “A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.”
indecision in speech or action
From this reading “Kitty's hesitation was brief.”
a hiding place; usually a remote place used by outlaws
From this reading “A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.”
fitted with or secured by a key
From this reading “"I feel all keyed up--" Craige smiled indulgently.”
the combined stakes of the betters
From this reading “"Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.”
United States composer of musical comedies (especially in collaboration with Oscar Hammerstein II and with Lorenz Hart) (1902-1979)
From this reading “A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.”
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading “A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.”
a tough youth of 1950's and 1960's wearing Edwardian style clothes
From this reading “A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.”
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.
In this reading “"I feel all keyed up--" Craige smiled indulgently.”
trace
In this reading “A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.”
In this reading “A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.”
In this reading “"Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.”
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 A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading "I feel all keyed up--" Craige smiled indulgently.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
of short duration or distance
From this reading Kitty's hesitation was brief.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
operate or control a vehicle
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
come together
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading "Indeed I would!" she exclaimed.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading "I feel all keyed up--" Craige smiled indulgently.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
indecision in speech or action
From this reading Kitty's hesitation was brief.
a hiding place; usually a remote place used by outlaws
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Indeed I would!" she exclaimed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading "Indeed I would!" she exclaimed.
in an indulgent manner
From this reading "I feel all keyed up--" Craige smiled indulgently.
fitted with or secured by a key
From this reading "I feel all keyed up--" Craige smiled indulgently.
the combined stakes of the betters
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Kitty's hesitation was brief.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
a rare heavy polyvalent metallic element that resembles manganese chemically and is used in some alloys; is obtained as a by-product in refining molybdenum
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
United States composer of musical comedies (especially in collaboration with Oscar Hammerstein II and with Lorenz Hart) (1902-1979)
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Indeed I would!" she exclaimed.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading "I feel all keyed up--" Craige smiled indulgently.
having a supporting base
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
a tough youth of 1950's and 1960's wearing Edwardian style clothes
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A STARTLING ENCOUNTER Ted Rodgers ran down the three steps leading to the _porte-coch�re_ of "Hideaway," and opened the door of his car.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "I feel all keyed up--" Craige smiled indulgently.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Kitty's hesitation was brief.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "Indeed I would!" she exclaimed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Wouldn't you like to drive?" he asked, turning to Kitty standing in the doorway with Charles Craige.
Chapter 16 of The Cat's Paw by Natalie Sumner Lincoln holds 118 sentences, grouped into 24 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 16 holds 118 sentences of The Cat's Paw, unabridged, divided into 24 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 16 of The Cat's Paw by Natalie Sumner Lincoln exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 118 sentences, grouped into 24 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 24 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 24 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 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.
Common questions about reading The Cat's Paw by Natalie Sumner Lincoln on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4825 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #66627 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #66627, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 402 minutes of reading across 965 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Cat's Paw section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 22 chapters of The Cat's Paw 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 Cat's Paw, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
