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The Jungle

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Jungle is here in full — 155 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Upton Sinclair • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for The Jungle

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

That was the way they did it!

There was not half an hour’s warning—the works were closed!

It had happened that way before, said the men, and it would happen that way forever.

They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

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 XXI Reading 1/31

The Jungle

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Jungle is here in full — 155 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

That was the way they did it!

Line 2

There was not half an hour’s warning—the works were closed!

Line 3

It had happened that way before, said the men, and it would happen that way forever.

Line 4

They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

Line 5

It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

All words in this reading · 55

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.

all

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

From this reading They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

an

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

From this reading There was not half an hour’s warning—the works were closed!

and

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

From this reading It had happened that way before, said the men, and it would happen that way forever.

any

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

before

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

From this reading It had happened that way before, said the men, and it would happen that way forever.

closed

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

From this reading There was not half an hour’s warning—the works were closed!

dead

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

did

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

From this reading That was the way they did it!

die

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

fault

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

forever

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

From this reading It had happened that way before, said the men, and it would happen that way forever.

had

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

From this reading It had happened that way before, said the men, and it would happen that way forever.

half

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

From this reading There was not half an hour’s warning—the works were closed!

happen

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

From this reading It had happened that way before, said the men, and it would happen that way forever.

happened

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

From this reading It had happened that way before, said the men, and it would happen that way forever.

harvesting

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

From this reading They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

hour's

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

From this reading There was not half an hour’s warning—the works were closed!

if

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

in

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

it

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

From this reading That was the way they did it!

live

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

machines

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

From this reading They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

made

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

From this reading They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

men

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

From this reading It had happened that way before, said the men, and it would happen that way forever.

needed

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

From this reading They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

nobody's

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

not

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

From this reading There was not half an hour’s warning—the works were closed!

now

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

From this reading They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

of

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

otherwise

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

out

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

From this reading They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

said

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

From this reading It had happened that way before, said the men, and it would happen that way forever.

savings

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

some

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

From this reading They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

That

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

From this reading That was the way they did it!

the

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

From this reading That was the way they did it!

their

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

There

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

From this reading There was not half an hour’s warning—the works were closed!

they

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

From this reading That was the way they did it!

thousands

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

till

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

From this reading They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

to

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

From this reading They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

turned

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

upon

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

wait

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

From this reading They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

warning

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

From this reading There was not half an hour’s warning—the works were closed!

was

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

From this reading That was the way they did it!

way

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

From this reading That was the way they did it!

were

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

From this reading There was not half an hour’s warning—the works were closed!

winter

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

women

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

From this reading It was nobody’s fault—that was the way of it; and thousands of men and women were turned out in the dead of winter, to live upon their savings if they had any, and otherwise to die.

wore

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

From this reading They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

works

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

From this reading There was not half an hour’s warning—the works were closed!

world

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

From this reading They had made all the harvesting machines that the world needed, and now they had to wait till some wore out!

would

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

From this reading It had happened that way before, said the men, and it would happen that way forever.

Chapter 21 of The Jungle by Upton Sinclair holds 155 sentences, grouped into 31 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 Jungle contain?

Chapter 21 holds 155 sentences of The Jungle, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of The Jungle by Upton Sinclair exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 155 sentences, grouped into 31 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 Jungle?

Work through the 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 31 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 Jungle

Common questions about reading The Jungle by Upton Sinclair on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Jungle?

Yes. All 6384 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #140 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Jungle is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #140, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Jungle take to read?

About 532 minutes of reading across 1277 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Jungle section by section

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

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 31 chapters of The Jungle to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Jungle

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

Clock: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Jungle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ceremony: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Jungle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Carriages: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Jungle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Began: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Jungle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.