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The Efficiency Expert
The Efficiency Expert

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Efficiency Expert is here in full — 132 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
JIMMY TELLS THE TRUTH.
Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.
She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.
During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.
"I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Efficiency Expert

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Efficiency Expert is here in full — 132 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
JIMMY TELLS THE TRUTH.
/ˈdʒɪmi telz ðə truːθ/
Line 2
Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.
/ˈmɪstər ˈkɑːmptən rɪˈtɜːrnd tuː ðə ruːm bɪˈfɔːr ˈdʒɪmi hæd dɪˈskʌvərd ˈweðər ðə ɡɜːrl ˌɪnˈtendɪd tuː ɪkˈspoʊz hɪm ɔːr nɑːt/
Line 3
She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.
/ʃiː sed ˈnʌθɪŋ əˈbaʊt ðə ˈmætər ˈdʊrɪŋ ˈdɪnər ənd ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli ðeˈræftər ʃiː ɪksˈkjuːzd hərˈself ˈliːvɪŋ ðə tuː men əˈloʊn/
Line 4
During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.
Line 5
"I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

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.

accountants noun US /əˈkaʊntənts/

plural of “accountant” — someone who maintains and audits business accounts

From this reading “During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.”

arisen verb US /ərˈɪzən/

inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading “"I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.”

certified adjective US /ˈsɜːrtəfaɪd/

endorsed authoritatively as having met certain requirements

From this reading “During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.”

Compton noun US /ˈkɑːmptən/

United States physicist noted for research on x-rays and gamma rays and nuclear energy

From this reading “Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.”

differed verb US /ˈdɪfərd/

past form of “differ” — be different

From this reading “"I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.”

excused adjective US /ɪksˈkjuːzd/

granted exemption

From this reading “She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.”

ignore verb US /ˌɪɡˈnɔːr/

refuse to acknowledge

From this reading “"I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.”

thereafter adverb US /ðeˈræftər/

from that time on

From this reading “She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.”

All words in this reading · 97

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

absolutelyadverbUS /ˌæbsəˈluːtli/

completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

accountantsnounUS /əˈkaʊntənts/

plural of “accountant” — someone who maintains and audits business accounts

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

argumentnounUS /ˈɑːrɡjəmənt/

a fact or assertion offered as evidence that something is true

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

arisenverbUS /ərˈɪzən/

inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

Bince

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

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

can't

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

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

certifiedadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtəfaɪd/

endorsed authoritatively as having met certain requirements

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

commandnounUS /kəˈmænd/

an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

ComptonnounUS /ˈkɑːmptən/

United States physicist noted for research on x-rays and gamma rays and nuclear energy

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

conversationnounUS /ˌkɑːnvərˈseɪʃən/

the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

differedverbUS /ˈdɪfərd/

past form of “differ” — be different

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

dinnernounUS /ˈdɪnər/

the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

doingverbUS /ˈduːɪŋ/

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

ensuedverbUS /ɪnˈsuːd/

past form of “ensue” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

excusedadjectiveUS /ɪksˈkjuːzd/

granted exemption

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

exposeverbUS /ɪkˈspoʊz/

expose or make accessible to some action or influence

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

feelverbUS /fiːl/

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

gettingnounUS /ˈɡetɪŋ/

the act of acquiring something

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

helpverbUS /help/

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

ignoreverbUS /ˌɪɡˈnɔːr/

refuse to acknowledge

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

immediatelyadverbUS /ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli/

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

induceverbUS /ˌɪnˈduːs/

cause to arise

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

intendedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtendɪd/

resulting from one's intentions

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

JIMMYverbUS /ˈdʒɪmi/

to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open

From this reading JIMMY TELLS THE TRUTH.

leavingnounUS /ˈliːvɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

plantverbUS /plænt/

put or set (seeds, seedlings, or plants) into the ground

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

possiblyadverbUS /ˈpɑːsəbli/

by chance

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

publicnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

questionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

ridverbUS /rɪd/

relieve from

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

saysnounUS /sez/

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

seemsverbUS /siːmz/

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

stronglyadverbUS /ˈstrɔːŋli/

with strength or in a strong manner

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

subjectnounUS /səbˈdʒekt/

the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

TELLSnounUS /telz/

plural of “tell” — a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer

From this reading JIMMY TELLS THE TRUTH.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading JIMMY TELLS THE TRUTH.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

thereafteradverbUS /ðeˈræftər/

from that time on

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

TRUTHnounUS /truːθ/

a fact that has been verified

From this reading JIMMY TELLS THE TRUTH.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading She said nothing about the matter during dinner, and immediately thereafter she excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

usingnounUS /ˈjuːzɪŋ/

an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)

From this reading During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

welladverbUS /wel/

(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 During the conversation that ensued Jimmy discovered that Bince had been using every argument at his command to induce Compton to let him go, as well as getting rid of the certified public accountants.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

wherein

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

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading Mr. Compton returned to the room before Jimmy had discovered whether the girl intended to expose him or not.

wishesnounUS /ˈwɪʃɪz/

plural of “wish” — a specific feeling of desire

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

wrongadjectiveUS /rɔːŋ/

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading "I can't help but feel," said Compton, "that possibly there may be some reason in what Mr. Bince says, for he seems to feel more strongly on this subject than almost any question that has ever arisen in the plant wherein we differed, and it may be that I am doing wrong to absolutely ignore his wishes in the matter.

Chapter 21 of The Efficiency Expert by Edgar Rice Burroughs holds 132 sentences, grouped into 27 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 21 of The Efficiency Expert contain?

Chapter 21 holds 132 sentences of The Efficiency Expert, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of The Efficiency Expert by Edgar Rice Burroughs exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 132 sentences, grouped into 27 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 21 of The Efficiency Expert?

Work through the 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 27 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 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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 Efficiency Expert

Common questions about reading The Efficiency Expert by Edgar Rice Burroughs on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Efficiency Expert?

Yes. All 2877 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3475 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #3475, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Efficiency Expert take to read?

About 239 minutes of reading across 576 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Efficiency Expert

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Efficiency Expert, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Jimmy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Efficiency Expert; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Torrance
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Efficiency Expert; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Gymnasium
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Efficiency Expert; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Packed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Efficiency Expert; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.