Chapter 12 of The Explorer is here in full — 411 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XII
Chapter 12 of The Explorer is here in full — 411 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
'Pardon me,' she protested gravely. 'Upper parlour maids are always twenty-nine. But I deplore your tendency to digress.' 'Am I digressing? I'm so sorry.
Chapter 12 of The Explorer is here in full — 411 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 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.
express strong disapproval of
From this reading “But I deplore your tendency to digress.'”
lose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking
From this reading “But I deplore your tendency to digress.'”
-ing form of “digress” — lose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking
From this reading “'Am I digressing?”
in a grave and sober manner
From this reading “'Pardon me,' she protested gravely.”
plural of “maid” — a female domestic
From this reading “'Upper parlour maids are always twenty-nine.”
reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received
From this reading “'Upper parlour maids are always twenty-nine.”
past form of “protest” — utter words of protest
From this reading “'Pardon me,' she protested gravely.”
an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others
From this reading “But I deplore your tendency to digress.'”
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.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading 'Upper parlour maids are always twenty-nine.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading 'Am I digressing?
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading 'Upper parlour maids are always twenty-nine.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But I deplore your tendency to digress.'
express strong disapproval of
From this reading But I deplore your tendency to digress.'
lose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking
From this reading But I deplore your tendency to digress.'
-ing form of “digress” — lose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking
From this reading 'Am I digressing?
in a grave and sober manner
From this reading 'Pardon me,' she protested gravely.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading But I deplore your tendency to digress.'
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'm so sorry.
plural of “maid” — a female domestic
From this reading 'Upper parlour maids are always twenty-nine.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading 'Pardon me,' she protested gravely.
accept an excuse for
From this reading 'Pardon me,' she protested gravely.
reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received
From this reading 'Upper parlour maids are always twenty-nine.
past form of “protest” — utter words of protest
From this reading 'Pardon me,' she protested gravely.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading 'Pardon me,' she protested gravely.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I'm so sorry.
feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone
From this reading I'm so sorry.
an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others
From this reading But I deplore your tendency to digress.'
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But I deplore your tendency to digress.'
the cardinal number that is the sum of twenty-eight and one
From this reading 'Upper parlour maids are always twenty-nine.
the topmost one of two
From this reading 'Upper parlour maids are always twenty-nine.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading But I deplore your tendency to digress.'
Chapter 12 of The Explorer by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham holds 411 sentences, grouped into 83 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 12 holds 411 sentences of The Explorer, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 12 of The Explorer by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 411 sentences, grouped into 83 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 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 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 12 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 Explorer by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5391 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #27198 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #27198, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 449 minutes of reading across 1079 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Explorer section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 13 chapters of The Explorer 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 Explorer, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
