Chapter 3 of The Rise of Silas Lapham is here in full — 203 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of The Rise of Silas Lapham is here in full — 203 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package. "MRS. B. Hubbard, heigh?" He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife. "We must look into this thing.
Chapter 3 of The Rise of Silas Lapham is here in full — 203 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/40 · 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.
consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
From this reading “"Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.”
a plant fiber
From this reading “He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.”
a United States writer of science fiction and founder of Scientology (1911-1986)
From this reading “B. Hubbard, heigh?"”
characteristic of or resembling Hell
From this reading “"Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.”
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading “"Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.”
any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
From this reading “"Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.”
a collection of things wrapped or boxed together
From this reading “"Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.”
a lightweight cord
From this reading “He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.”
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.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil
From this reading B. Hubbard, heigh?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading B. Hubbard, heigh?"
a plant fiber
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
a United States writer of science fiction and founder of Scientology (1911-1986)
From this reading B. Hubbard, heigh?"
characteristic of or resembling Hell
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading "We must look into this thing.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading "We must look into this thing.
any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading "MRS.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "We must look into this thing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
a collection of things wrapped or boxed together
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
a small pocketknife; originally used to cut quill pens
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
a lightweight cord
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
a special situation
From this reading "We must look into this thing.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "We must look into this thing.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We must look into this thing.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.
Chapter 3 of The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells holds 203 sentences, grouped into 41 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 203 sentences of The Rise of Silas Lapham, unabridged, divided into 41 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 203 sentences, grouped into 41 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 41 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 41 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 Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 8158 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #154 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #154, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1632 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Rise of Silas Lapham section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Rise of Silas Lapham 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 Rise of Silas Lapham, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
