Chapter 3 of The Return of the Prodigal is here in full — 415 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of The Return of the Prodigal is here in full — 415 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar. It was therefore inevitable that their talk should turn to her. "Your friend is charming," said Julia. "Yes," he said, "yes." He seemed reluctant to acknowledge it.
Chapter 3 of The Return of the Prodigal is here in full — 415 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/83 · 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.
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading “He seemed reluctant to acknowledge it.”
having fair knowledge of
From this reading “This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.”
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading “This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.”
pleasing or delighting
From this reading “"Your friend is charming," said Julia.”
incapable of being avoided or prevented
From this reading “It was therefore inevitable that their talk should turn to her.”
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading “This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.”
unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom
From this reading “He seemed reluctant to acknowledge it.”
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading “This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.”
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.
In this reading “This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.”
In this reading “He seemed reluctant to acknowledge it.”
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.
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading He seemed reluctant to acknowledge it.
having fair knowledge of
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
pleasing or delighting
From this reading "Your friend is charming," said Julia.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading "Your friend is charming," said Julia.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Yes," he said, "yes."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It was therefore inevitable that their talk should turn to her.
incapable of being avoided or prevented
From this reading It was therefore inevitable that their talk should turn to her.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Your friend is charming," said Julia.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was therefore inevitable that their talk should turn to her.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom
From this reading He seemed reluctant to acknowledge it.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Your friend is charming," said Julia.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He seemed reluctant to acknowledge it.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It was therefore inevitable that their talk should turn to her.
from a time in the past until now
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading It was therefore inevitable that their talk should turn to her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was therefore inevitable that their talk should turn to her.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
for that reason; as a result
From this reading It was therefore inevitable that their talk should turn to her.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was therefore inevitable that their talk should turn to her.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading It was therefore inevitable that their talk should turn to her.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
in the company of; together with
From this reading This particular Sunday afternoon was their first since Julia had become acquainted with Miss Farrar.
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes," he said, "yes."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Your friend is charming," said Julia.
Chapter 3 of The Return of the Prodigal by May Sinclair holds 415 sentences, grouped into 83 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 3 holds 415 sentences of The Return of the Prodigal, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of The Return of the Prodigal by May Sinclair exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 415 sentences, grouped into 83 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 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 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 3 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 Return of the Prodigal by May Sinclair on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 7139 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #31595 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #31595, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 594 minutes of reading across 1428 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Return of the Prodigal section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 15 chapters of The Return of the Prodigal 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 Return of the Prodigal, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
