Chapter 1 of The Mysterious Affair at Styles is here in full — 355 sentences across 71 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Mysterious Affair at Styles is here in full — 355 sentences across 71 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?” “Of course I should. Mightn’t be able to prove it to a pack of lawyers. But I’m certain I’d know. I’d feel it in my fingertips if he came near me.”
Chapter 1 of The Mysterious Affair at Styles is here in full — 355 sentences across 71 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 37/71 · 5 reading units · Lines 181–185
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.
pleasantly occupied
From this reading ““Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?””
(criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act
From this reading ““Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?””
plural of “fingertip” — the end (tip) of a finger
From this reading “I’d feel it in my fingertips if he came near me.””
plural of “lawyer” — a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice
From this reading “Mightn’t be able to prove it to a pack of lawyers.”
consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds
From this reading ““Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?””
kill intentionally and with premeditation
From this reading ““Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?””
a criminal who commits homicide (who performs the unlawful premeditated killing of another human being)
From this reading ““Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?””
arrange in a container
From this reading “Mightn’t be able to prove it to a pack of lawyers.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
pleasantly occupied
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But I’m certain I’d know.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading I’d feel it in my fingertips if he came near me.”
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading But I’m certain I’d know.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading “Of course I should.
(criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading I’d feel it in my fingertips if he came near me.”
plural of “fingertip” — the end (tip) of a finger
From this reading I’d feel it in my fingertips if he came near me.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I’d feel it in my fingertips if he came near me.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I’m certain I’d know.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I’m certain I’d know.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Mightn’t be able to prove it to a pack of lawyers.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading But I’m certain I’d know.
plural of “lawyer” — a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice
From this reading Mightn’t be able to prove it to a pack of lawyers.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I’d feel it in my fingertips if he came near me.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mightn’t be able to prove it to a pack of lawyers.
consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
to a great degree or extent
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
kill intentionally and with premeditation
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
a criminal who commits homicide (who performs the unlawful premeditated killing of another human being)
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I’d feel it in my fingertips if he came near me.”
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading I’d feel it in my fingertips if he came near me.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Of course I should.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
arrange in a container
From this reading Mightn’t be able to prove it to a pack of lawyers.
be shown or be found to be
From this reading Mightn’t be able to prove it to a pack of lawyers.
precisely, exactly
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
express in words
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading “Of course I should.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Then,” I said, much amused, “you think that if you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder, you’d be able to spot the murderer right off?”
Chapter 1 of The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie holds 355 sentences, grouped into 71 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 1 holds 355 sentences of The Mysterious Affair at Styles, unabridged, divided into 71 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 355 sentences, grouped into 71 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 71 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 71 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 1 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 Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5287 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #863 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #863, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 440 minutes of reading across 1058 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Mysterious Affair at Styles section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 13 chapters of The Mysterious Affair at Styles 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 Mysterious Affair at Styles, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
