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The Old Tobacco Shop
The Old Tobacco Shop

Chapter XIX

Chapter 19 of The Old Tobacco Shop is here in full — 239 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By William Bowen • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Old Tobacco Shop
Context Illustration Reading 1/47 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.
Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.
The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.
One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:
"I fear, Professor, that our hopes are dashed.
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 Old Tobacco Shop

Chapter XIX

Chapter 19 of The Old Tobacco Shop is here in full — 239 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/47 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.
Line 2
Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.
Line 3
The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.
Line 4
One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:
Line 5
"I fear, Professor, that our hopes are dashed.
/aɪ fɪr prəˈfesər ðæt ˈaʊər hoʊps ɑːr dæʃt/

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.

Chairman noun US /ˈtʃermən/

the officer who presides at the meetings of an organization

From this reading “One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Daft adjective US /dæft/

informal or slang terms for mentally irregular

From this reading “A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
drummed verb US /drʌmd/

inflected form of “drum” — make a rhythmic sound

From this reading “The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
frowned verb US /fraʊnd/

past form of “frown” — look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval

From this reading “The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pirates noun US /ˈpaɪrəts/

plural of “pirate” — someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own

From this reading “A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
smoothing verb US /ˈsmuːðɪŋ/

-ing form of “smooth” — make smooth or smoother, as if by rubbing

From this reading “One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thirteen noun US /ˈθɜːrˈtiːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of twelve and one

From this reading “A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
vacated verb US /veɪˈkeɪtɪd/

past form of “vacate” — leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily

From this reading “A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.”

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.

reason why noun + noun

In this reading “Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.”

21,875 times in 225,867 chapters
vacated by verb + particle counted as “vacate by”

In this reading “A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.”

303 times in 225,867 chapters
KNOCK AT verb + particle

In this reading “A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.”

12,461 times in 225,867 chapters
on the table preposition + article + noun counted as “on … table”

able to be negotiated or arranged by compromise

In this reading “The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.”

39,334 times in 225,867 chapters
AT THE DOOR preposition + article + noun counted as “at … door”

In this reading “A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.”

53,016 times in 225,867 chapters
glanced up verb + adjective counted as “glance up”

In this reading “One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:”

8,055 times in 225,867 chapters
in silence preposition + noun

In this reading “The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.”

37,829 times in 225,867 chapters
sit in verb + particle

attend as a visitor

In this reading “Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.”

11,922 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 79

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 A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading "I fear, Professor, that our hopes are dashed.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ChairmannounUS /ˈtʃermən/

the officer who presides at the meetings of an organization

From this reading One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
chairsnounUS /tʃerz/

plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
comfortableadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbəl/

providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CommitteenounUS /kəˈmɪti/

a special group delegated to consider some matter

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
DaftadjectiveUS /dæft/

informal or slang terms for mentally irregular

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dashedadjectiveUS /dæʃt/

having gaps or spaces

From this reading "I fear, Professor, that our hopes are dashed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
disturbverbUS /dɪˈstɜːrb/

move deeply

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DOORnounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dreadfuladjectiveUS /ˈdredfəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
drummedverbUS /drʌmd/

inflected form of “drum” — make a rhythmic sound

From this reading The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
evidentlyadverbUS /ˈevədəntli/

unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fearverbUS /fɪr/

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading "I fear, Professor, that our hopes are dashed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
feelingnounUS /ˈfiːlɪŋ/

the experiencing of affective and emotional states

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fellow-members

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

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

Pending verification
fingersnounUS /ˈfɪŋɡərz/

plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)

From this reading The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
frownedverbUS /fraʊnd/

past form of “frown” — look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval

From this reading The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
glancedverbUS /ɡlænst/

past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hopesnounUS /hoʊps/

plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading "I fear, Professor, that our hopes are dashed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "I fear, Professor, that our hopes are dashed.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
KNOCKverbUS /nɑːk/

deliver a sharp blow or push

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
murderedadjectiveUS /ˈmɜːrdərd/

killed unlawfully

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
others

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

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

Pending verification
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading "I fear, Professor, that our hopes are dashed.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
persuadedverbUS /pərˈsweɪdɪd/

past form of “persuade” — win approval or support for

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
piratesnounUS /ˈpaɪrəts/

plural of “pirate” — someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ProfessornounUS /prəˈfesər/

someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university

From this reading "I fear, Professor, that our hopes are dashed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seatedadjectiveUS /ˈsiːtɪd/

(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seatsnounUS /siːts/

an area that includes places where several people can sit

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.

Velmora curated lexicon
sitverbUS /sɪt/

be seated

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
skull-cap

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

From this reading One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:

Pending verification
smoothingverbUS /ˈsmuːðɪŋ/

-ing form of “smooth” — make smooth or smoother, as if by rubbing

From this reading One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
takingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "I fear, Professor, that our hopes are dashed.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThirdnounUS /θɜːrd/

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thirteennounUS /ˈθɜːrˈtiːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of twelve and one

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thoughtfullyadverbUS /ˈθɔːtfəli/

in a thoughtful manner

From this reading One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading One of the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up at the Chairman and said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
vacatedverbUS /veɪˈkeɪtɪd/

past form of “vacate” — leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Vice-President

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

From this reading A KNOCK AT THE DOOR The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered pirates.

Pending verification
whynounUS /waɪ/

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

From this reading Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be comfortable.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 19 of The Old Tobacco Shop by William Bowen holds 239 sentences, grouped into 48 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 19 of The Old Tobacco Shop contain?

Chapter 19 holds 239 sentences of The Old Tobacco Shop, unabridged, divided into 48 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 19 of The Old Tobacco Shop by William Bowen exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 239 sentences, grouped into 48 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 19 of The Old Tobacco Shop?

Work through the 48 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 48 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 19 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 19 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 Old Tobacco Shop

Common questions about reading The Old Tobacco Shop by William Bowen on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Old Tobacco Shop?

Yes. All 4345 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26977 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Old Tobacco Shop is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #26977, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Old Tobacco Shop take to read?

About 362 minutes of reading across 869 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Old Tobacco Shop section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 28 chapters of The Old Tobacco Shop 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 Old Tobacco Shop

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

William
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Old Tobacco Shop; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bowen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Old Tobacco Shop; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Enchanted
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Old Tobacco Shop; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Forest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Old Tobacco Shop; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.