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The Impossibles
The Impossibles

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Impossibles is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Impossibles
Context Illustration Reading 1/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
He was no longer morose and undirected.
He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.
He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.
The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.
That, he supposed, was the influence of the Bohemian folk-singers of Greenwich Village.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Impossibles

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Impossibles is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
He was no longer morose and undirected.
Line 2
He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.
/hiː hæd ə ˈpɜːrpəs ɪn laɪf ənd ðə ˈpɜːrpəs fɪld hɪm wɪð koʊld dɪˌtɜːrməˈneɪʃən/
Line 3
He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.
Line 4
The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.
Line 5
That, he supposed, was the influence of the Bohemian folk-singers of Greenwich Village.

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.

Bohemian noun US /boʊˈhiːmiən/

a member of a people with dark skin and hair who speak Romany and who traditionally live by seasonal work and fortunetelling

From this reading “That, he supposed, was the influence of the Bohemian folk-singers of Greenwich Village.”

car noun US /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading “He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.”

determination noun US /dɪˌtɜːrməˈneɪʃən/

the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation

From this reading “He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.”

Greenwich noun US /ˈɡrenɪtʃ/

a borough of Greater London on the Thames; zero degrees of longitude runs through Greenwich; time is measured relative to Greenwich Mean Time

From this reading “That, he supposed, was the influence of the Bohemian folk-singers of Greenwich Village.”

Malone noun US /məˈloʊn/

English scholar remembered for his chronology of Shakespeare's plays and his editions of Shakespeare and Dryden (1741-1812)

From this reading “The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.”

morose adjective US /mərˈoʊs/

showing a brooding ill humor

From this reading “He was no longer morose and undirected.”

whistling noun US /ˈwɪslɪŋ/

the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture

From this reading “The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.”

worked verb US /wɜːrkt/

past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading “The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.”

All words in this reading · 47

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 He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He was no longer morose and undirected.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.

BohemiannounUS /boʊˈhiːmiən/

a member of a people with dark skin and hair who speak Romany and who traditionally live by seasonal work and fortunetelling

From this reading That, he supposed, was the influence of the Bohemian folk-singers of Greenwich Village.

breathnounUS /breθ/

the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing

From this reading The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.

carnounUS /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.

coldadjectiveUS /koʊld/

having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.

determinationnounUS /dɪˌtɜːrməˈneɪʃən/

the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation

From this reading He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.

doctornounUS /ˈdɑːktər/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.

filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.

folk-singers

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

From this reading That, he supposed, was the influence of the Bohemian folk-singers of Greenwich Village.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.

Greensleeves

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

From this reading The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.

GreenwichnounUS /ˈɡrenɪtʃ/

a borough of Greater London on the Thames; zero degrees of longitude runs through Greenwich; time is measured relative to Greenwich Mean Time

From this reading That, he supposed, was the influence of the Bohemian folk-singers of Greenwich Village.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He was no longer morose and undirected.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.

influencenounUS /ˈɪnfluːəns/

a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc

From this reading That, he supposed, was the influence of the Bohemian folk-singers of Greenwich Village.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.

longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/

for more time

From this reading He was no longer morose and undirected.

MalonenounUS /məˈloʊn/

English scholar remembered for his chronology of Shakespeare's plays and his editions of Shakespeare and Dryden (1741-1812)

From this reading The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.

moroseadjectiveUS /mərˈoʊs/

showing a brooding ill humor

From this reading He was no longer morose and undirected.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading He was no longer morose and undirected.

noticedadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəst/

being perceived or observed

From this reading The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading That, he supposed, was the influence of the Bohemian folk-singers of Greenwich Village.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.

purposenounUS /ˈpɜːrpəs/

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.

robot-operated

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

From this reading He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.

supposedadjectiveUS /səˈpoʊzd/

required or under orders

From this reading That, he supposed, was the influence of the Bohemian folk-singers of Greenwich Village.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That, he supposed, was the influence of the Bohemian folk-singers of Greenwich Village.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.

undirectedadjective

aimlessly drifting

From this reading He was no longer morose and undirected.

VillagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading That, he supposed, was the influence of the Bohemian folk-singers of Greenwich Village.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading He was no longer morose and undirected.

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading He was going to find the robot-operated car--or whatever it turned out to be.

whistlingnounUS /ˈwɪslɪŋ/

the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture

From this reading The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He had a purpose in life, and the purpose filled him with cold determination.

workedverbUS /wɜːrkt/

past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading The doctor, Malone noticed, was whistling _Greensleeves_ under his breath as he worked.

Chapter 3 of The Impossibles by Randall Garrett holds 423 sentences, grouped into 85 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 3 of The Impossibles contain?

Chapter 3 holds 423 sentences of The Impossibles, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The Impossibles by Randall Garrett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 423 sentences, grouped into 85 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 3 of The Impossibles?

Work through the 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 85 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 Impossibles

Common questions about reading The Impossibles by Randall Garrett on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Impossibles?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Impossibles is used?

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

How long does The Impossibles take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Impossibles section by section

How to work through The Impossibles section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 0 chapters of The Impossibles 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 Impossibles

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

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of The Impossibles, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of The Impossibles, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of The Impossibles, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.