The Hand of Fu-Manchu

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Hand of Fu-Manchu is here in full — 62 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Sax Rohmer • Curated US English Learning Edition

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THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

"This may assist you in your study of the first Zagazig message."

I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

A paragraph appeared therein conceived as follows:-- ZAGAZIG-_Z_-a-g-_a_;-z:-I:-_g_;z-a,g;- A-,_z_;_i_:_G_,-z:_a_;_g_-A,z-_i_;-gz _A_;_g_aZ-_i_;_g_-:a z i g I stared across at my friend in extreme bewilderment.

"But, Smith!"

Narrator

Speed 0.75x

AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter XX Reading 1/12

The Hand of Fu-Manchu

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Hand of Fu-Manchu is here in full — 62 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/12 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

Line 2

"This may assist you in your study of the first Zagazig message."

Line 3

I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

/aɪ set daʊn maɪ kʌp ənd tɜːrnd maɪ əˈtenʃən tuː ðə ˈpɜːrsɪnəl ˈkɑːləm ɑːn ðə frʌnt peɪdʒ ʌv ðə ˈdʒɜːrnəl/

Line 4

Line 5

"But, Smith!"

/bʌt smɪθ/

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.

assist verb US /əˈsɪst/

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading “"This may assist you in your study of the first Zagazig message."”

bewilderment noun US /bɪˈwɪldərmənt/

confusion resulting from failure to understand

From this reading “A paragraph appeared therein conceived as follows:-- ZAGAZIG-_Z_-a-g-_a_;-z:-I:-_g_;z-a,g;- A-,_z_;_i_:_G_,-z:_a_;_g_-A,z-_i_;-gz _A_;_g_aZ-_i_;_g_-:a z i g I stared across at my friend in extreme bewilderment.”

column noun US /ˈkɑːləm/

a line of units following one after another

From this reading “I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.”

conceived verb US /kənˈsiːvd/

past form of “conceive” — have the idea for

journal noun US /ˈdʒɜːrnəl/

a daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations

From this reading “I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.”

paragraph noun US /ˈpærəɡræf/

one of several distinct subdivisions of a text intended to separate ideas; the beginning is usually marked by a new indented line

therein adverb US /ðeˈrɪn/

(formal) in or into that thing or place

tossed verb US /tɔːst/

past form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion

From this reading “THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.”

All words in this reading · 61

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

a-g

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

From this reading A paragraph appeared therein conceived as follows:-- ZAGAZIG-_Z_-a-g-_a_;-z:-I:-_g_;z-a,g;- A-,_z_;_i_:_G_,-z:_a_;_g_-A,z-_i_;-gz _A_;_g_aZ-_i_;_g_-:a z i g I stared across at my friend in extreme bewilderment.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

assistverbUS /əˈsɪst/

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading "This may assist you in your study of the first Zagazig message."

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

aZnoun

the azimuth of a celestial body is the angle between the vertical plane containing it and the plane of the meridian

bewildermentnounUS /bɪˈwɪldərmənt/

confusion resulting from failure to understand

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "But, Smith!"

columnnounUS /ˈkɑːləm/

a line of units following one after another

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

conceivedverbUS /kənˈsiːvd/

past form of “conceive” — have the idea for

copynounUS /ˈkɑːpi/

a reproduction of a written record (e.g. of a legal or school record)

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

cupnounUS /kʌp/

a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

extremeadjectiveUS /ekˈstriːm/

of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading "This may assist you in your study of the first Zagazig message."

foldedverbUS /ˈfoʊldəd/

past form of “fold” — bend or lay so that one part covers the other

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

followsverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊz/

third-person singular of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

gnounUS /dʒiː/

a metric unit of weight equal to one thousandth of a kilogram

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

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

HereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "This may assist you in your study of the first Zagazig message."

journalnounUS /ˈdʒɜːrnəl/

a daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading "This may assist you in your study of the first Zagazig message."

MESSAGEnounUS /ˈmesədʒ/

a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

Nayland

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

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

pagenounUS /peɪdʒ/

one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

paragraphnounUS /ˈpærəɡræf/

one of several distinct subdivisions of a text intended to separate ideas; the beginning is usually marked by a new indented line

PersonaladjectiveUS /ˈpɜːrsɪnəl/

concerning or affecting a particular person or his or her private life and personality

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

Petrie

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

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

SECONDnounUS /ˈsekənd/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

SmithnounUS /smɪθ/

Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

staredverbUS /sterd/

past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes

studynounUS /ˈstʌdi/

a detailed critical inspection

From this reading "This may assist you in your study of the first Zagazig message."

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

thereinadverbUS /ðeˈrɪn/

(formal) in or into that thing or place

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading "This may assist you in your study of the first Zagazig message."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

tossedverbUS /tɔːst/

past form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading I set down my cup and turned my attention to the "Personal" column on the front page of the journal.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading THE SECOND MESSAGE "Here you are, Petrie," said Nayland Smith--and he tossed across the table the folded copy of a morning paper.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "This may assist you in your study of the first Zagazig message."

ZnounUS /ziː/

the ending of a series or sequence

z-a

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

Zagazig

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

From this reading "This may assist you in your study of the first Zagazig message."

Chapter 20 of The Hand of Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer holds 62 sentences, grouped into 13 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.

What does chapter 20 of The Hand of Fu-Manchu contain?

Chapter 20 holds 62 sentences of The Hand of Fu-Manchu, unabridged, divided into 13 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of The Hand of Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 62 sentences, grouped into 13 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 20 of The Hand of Fu-Manchu?

Work through the 13 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 13 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 Hand of Fu-Manchu

Common questions about reading The Hand of Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Hand of Fu-Manchu?

Yes. All 3624 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #17959 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Hand of Fu-Manchu is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #17959, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Hand of Fu-Manchu take to read?

About 302 minutes of reading across 725 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Hand of Fu-Manchu

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Hand of Fu-Manchu, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Smith: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Hand of Fu-Manchu; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Significantly: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Hand of Fu-Manchu; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stepped: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Hand of Fu-Manchu; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Corridor: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Hand of Fu-Manchu; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

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