Chapter 16 of The Motor Maid is here in full — 92 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVI
Chapter 16 of The Motor Maid is here in full — 92 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine. At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too. And even if I weren't, I should go." "I've been thinking about that," Mr. Dane answered. "It was the first thought that came into my head when the row began.
Chapter 16 of The Motor Maid is here in full — 92 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/18 · 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.
the act of overcoming or outdoing
From this reading “For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.”
deem to be
From this reading “At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.”
a native or inhabitant of Denmark
From this reading “"I've been thinking about that," Mr. Dane answered.”
having lost your job
From this reading “At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.”
motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work
From this reading “For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.”
in a submissive or spiritless manner
From this reading “At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.”
with speed
From this reading “For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.”
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading “"It was the first thought that came into my head when the row began.”
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.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "I've been thinking about that," Mr. Dane answered.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And even if I weren't, I should go."
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading "I've been thinking about that," Mr. Dane answered.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.
the act of overcoming or outdoing
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "I've been thinking about that," Mr. Dane answered.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading "It was the first thought that came into my head when the row began.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "It was the first thought that came into my head when the row began.
deem to be
From this reading At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.
a native or inhabitant of Denmark
From this reading "I've been thinking about that," Mr. Dane answered.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
having lost your job
From this reading At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.
motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
divisible by two
From this reading And even if I weren't, I should go."
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading "It was the first thought that came into my head when the row began.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading And even if I weren't, I should go."
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading "It was the first thought that came into my head when the row began.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've been thinking about that," Mr. Dane answered.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading And even if I weren't, I should go."
moving to the inside of something
From this reading "It was the first thought that came into my head when the row began.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It was the first thought that came into my head when the row began.
immediately past
From this reading At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.
in a submissive or spiritless manner
From this reading At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "I've been thinking about that," Mr. Dane answered.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
with speed
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading "It was the first thought that came into my head when the row began.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading And even if I weren't, I should go."
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
express in speech
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I've been thinking about that," Mr. Dane answered.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading "I've been thinking about that," Mr. Dane answered.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "It was the first thought that came into my head when the row began.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "It was the first thought that came into my head when the row began.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading For some time we did not speak, but my thoughts moved more quickly than the beating of the engine.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading At last I said meekly, "Of course, I may as well consider myself discharged, too.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And even if I weren't, I should go."
at the time that
From this reading "It was the first thought that came into my head when the row began.
Chapter 16 of The Motor Maid by C. N. (Charles Norris) Williamson holds 92 sentences, grouped into 19 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 16 holds 92 sentences of The Motor Maid, unabridged, divided into 19 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 16 of The Motor Maid by C. N. (Charles Norris) Williamson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 92 sentences, grouped into 19 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 19 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 19 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 16 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 Motor Maid by C. N. (Charles Norris) Williamson on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5018 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #17342 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #17342, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 418 minutes of reading across 1004 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Motor Maid section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 32 chapters of The Motor Maid 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 Motor Maid, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
