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The Meredith Mystery
The Meredith Mystery

Chapter XIII

Chapter 13 of The Meredith Mystery is here in full — 228 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Natalie Sumner Lincoln • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Meredith Mystery
Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.
He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.
“Sit down, Mr. Armstrong,” directed Mitchell.
Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.
“Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”
0:00 / 0:00
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.

The Meredith Mystery

Chapter XIII

Chapter 13 of The Meredith Mystery is here in full — 228 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.
Line 2
He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.
Line 3
“Sit down, Mr. Armstrong,” directed Mitchell.
/sɪt daʊn ˈmɪstər ˈɑːrmstrɑːŋ dərˈektəd ˈmɪtʃəl/
Line 4
Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.
/ˈteɪkɪŋ ə tʃer hiː ˈplæntɪd hɪmˈself ɪn frʌnt ʌv ˈɑːrmstrɑːŋ waɪl ˈsɑːrdʒənt braʊn breɪst hɪz ˈbɜːrli ˈfɪɡjər əˈɡenst ə kənˈviːnjənt ˈsoʊfə ənd rɪˈmeɪnd ə ˈsaɪlənt ˈɔːnlʊkər/
Line 5
“Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”
/naʊ sɜːr wɪl juː ˈkaɪndli tel ʌs waɪ juː əˈvɔɪdɪd ðə ˈɪnkwest ɑːn dʒɑːn ˈmerɪdɪθ/

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.

burly adjective US /ˈbɜːrli/

muscular and heavily built

From this reading “Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
focused adjective US /ˈfoʊkəst/

being in focus or brought into focus

From this reading “He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inquest noun US /ˈɪnkwest/

an inquiry into the cause of an unexpected death

From this reading ““Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
latter's noun US /ˈlætərz/

possessive form of “latter” — the second of two or the second mentioned of two

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Mitchell noun US /ˈmɪtʃəl/

English aeronautical engineer (1895-1937)

From this reading “PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onlooker noun US /ˈɔːnlʊkər/

someone who looks on

From this reading “Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
skirmishing verb US /ˈskɜːrmɪʃɪŋ/

-ing form of “skirmish” — engage in a skirmish

From this reading “PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stolid adjective US /ˈstɑːləd/

having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited

From this reading “He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

burly figure adjective + noun

In this reading “Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.”

232 times in 225,867 chapters
superior officer adjective + noun

In this reading “He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.”

1,500 times in 225,867 chapters
Sit down verb + adjective

take a seat

In this reading ““Sit down, Mr. Armstrong,” directed Mitchell.”

40,697 times in 225,867 chapters
looked inquiringly verb + particle counted as “look inquiringly”

In this reading “PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.”

1,132 times in 225,867 chapters
in front preposition + noun

at or in the front

In this reading “Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.”

87,341 times in 225,867 chapters
in the library preposition + article + noun counted as “in … library”

In this reading “PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.”

7,481 times in 225,867 chapters
then turned adverb + adjective

In this reading “PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.”

9,508 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 72

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 PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ArmstrongnounUS /ˈɑːrmstrɑːŋ/

United States astronaut; the first man to set foot on the Moon (July 20, 1969) (1930-)

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

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

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
avoidedverbUS /əˈvɔɪdɪd/

past form of “avoid” — stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something

From this reading “Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bracedadjectiveUS /breɪst/

positioned so as to be ready for confrontation or danger

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BrownnounUS /braʊn/

an orange of low brightness and saturation

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
burlyadjectiveUS /ˈbɜːrli/

muscular and heavily built

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
chairnounUS /tʃer/

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
convenientadjectiveUS /kənˈviːnjənt/

suited to your comfort or purpose or needs

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DetectivenounUS /dɪˈtektɪv/

a police officer who investigates crimes

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
directedadjectiveUS /dərˈektəd/

(often used in combination) having a specified direction

From this reading “Sit down, Mr. Armstrong,” directed Mitchell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading “Sit down, Mr. Armstrong,” directed Mitchell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
expressionnounUS /ɪkˈspreʃən/

the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
figurenounUS /ˈfɪɡjər/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
focusedadjectiveUS /ˈfoʊkəst/

being in focus or brought into focus

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Gerald

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

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

Pending verification
HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inquestnounUS /ˈɪnkwest/

an inquiry into the cause of an unexpected death

From this reading “Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inquiringlyadverb

in an inquiring manner

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
InspectornounUS /ˌɪnˈspektər/

a high ranking police officer

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
JohnnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading “Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
kindlyadjectiveUS /ˈkaɪndli/

showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity

From this reading “Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
latteradjectiveUS /ˈlætər/

referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
latter'snounUS /ˈlætərz/

possessive form of “latter” — the second of two or the second mentioned of two

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
learnedadjectiveUS /lɜːrnd/

having or showing profound knowledge

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
librarynounUS /ˈlaɪbreriː/

a room where books are kept

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MeredithnounUS /ˈmerɪdɪθ/

United States civil rights leader whose college registration caused riots in traditionally segregated Mississippi (born in 1933)

From this reading “Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MitchellnounUS /ˈmɪtʃəl/

English aeronautical engineer (1895-1937)

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading “Sit down, Mr. Armstrong,” directed Mitchell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
NowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading “Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
officernounUS /ˈɔːfəsər/

any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onlookernounUS /ˈɔːnlʊkər/

someone who looks on

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
plantedadjectiveUS /ˈplæntɪd/

(used especially of ideas or principles) deeply rooted; firmly fixed or held

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PRELIMINARYadjectiveUS /prɪˈlɪməneri/

denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
regardnounUS /rɪˈɡɑːrd/

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
remainedverbUS /rɪˈmeɪnd/

past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SergeantnounUS /ˈsɑːrdʒənt/

any of several noncommissioned officer ranks in the Army or Air Force or Marines ranking above a corporal

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Sergeant's

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

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

Pending verification
silentadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪlənt/

marked by absence of sound

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading “Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SitverbUS /sɪt/

be seated

From this reading “Sit down, Mr. Armstrong,” directed Mitchell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SKIRMISHINGverbUS /ˈskɜːrmɪʃɪŋ/

-ing form of “skirmish” — engage in a skirmish

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sofanounUS /ˈsoʊfə/

an upholstered seat for more than one person

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stolidadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːləd/

having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
superioradjectiveUS /suːˈpɪriər/

of high or superior quality or performance

From this reading He learned nothing from the Sergeant’s stolid expression and again focused his attention on the latter’s superior officer.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TakingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading “Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wavedverbUS /weɪvd/

past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod

From this reading PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING Gerald Armstrong looked inquiringly at Inspector Mitchell as the latter waved him to a chair in the library; then turned his regard to Detective Sergeant Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Taking a chair he planted himself in front of Armstrong, while Sergeant Brown braced his burly figure against a convenient sofa and remained a silent onlooker.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading “Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading “Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Now, sir, will you kindly tell us why you avoided the inquest on John Meredith?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 13 of The Meredith Mystery by Natalie Sumner Lincoln holds 228 sentences, grouped into 46 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 13 of The Meredith Mystery contain?

Chapter 13 holds 228 sentences of The Meredith Mystery, unabridged, divided into 46 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of The Meredith Mystery by Natalie Sumner Lincoln exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 228 sentences, grouped into 46 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 13 of The Meredith Mystery?

Work through the 46 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 46 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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 Meredith Mystery

Common questions about reading The Meredith Mystery by Natalie Sumner Lincoln on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Meredith Mystery?

Yes. All 4171 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #58597 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Meredith Mystery is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #58597, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Meredith Mystery take to read?

About 347 minutes of reading across 835 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Meredith Mystery section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 19 chapters of The Meredith Mystery 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 Meredith Mystery

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

Meredith
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Meredith Mystery; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Looked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Meredith Mystery; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mother
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Meredith Mystery; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Appalled
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Meredith Mystery; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.