Chapter 3 of The Road is here in full — 422 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of The Road is here in full — 422 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar. "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer. "How's that?" he asks. "I'd have gone into a clinch with you, that's all," is my reply. They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
Chapter 3 of The Road is here in full — 422 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/84 · 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.
third-person singular of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “"How's that?" he asks.”
secure or fasten by flattening the ends of nails or bolts
From this reading “"I'd have gone into a clinch with you, that's all," is my reply.”
a band that fits around the neck and is usually folded over
From this reading “"I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.”
a conference (usually with someone important)
From this reading “They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.”
past form of “ditch” — forsake
From this reading “"I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.”
small crude shelter used as a dwelling
From this reading “"I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.”
inflected form of “sum” — be a summary of
From this reading “They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.”
(law) the findings of a jury on issues of fact submitted to it for decision; can be used in formulating a judgment
From this reading “They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.”
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 "I'd have gone into a clinch with you, that's all," is my reply.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading "I'd have gone into a clinch with you, that's all," is my reply.
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
react verbally
From this reading "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer.
third-person singular of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "How's that?" he asks.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
secure or fasten by flattening the ends of nails or bolts
From this reading "I'd have gone into a clinch with you, that's all," is my reply.
a band that fits around the neck and is usually folded over
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
a conference (usually with someone important)
From this reading They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer.
past form of “ditch” — forsake
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer.
destroyed or killed
From this reading "I'd have gone into a clinch with you, that's all," is my reply.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "How's that?" he asks.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "How's that?" he asks.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'd have gone into a clinch with you, that's all," is my reply.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading "I'd have gone into a clinch with you, that's all," is my reply.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I'd have gone into a clinch with you, that's all," is my reply.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "I'd have gone into a clinch with you, that's all," is my reply.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer.
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading "I'd have gone into a clinch with you, that's all," is my reply.
sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
small crude shelter used as a dwelling
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
inflected form of “sum” — be a summary of
From this reading They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "How's that?" he asks.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'd have gone into a clinch with you, that's all," is my reply.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
(law) the findings of a jury on issues of fact submitted to it for decision; can be used in formulating a judgment
From this reading They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
(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 They hold a consultation, and their verdict is summed up in:-- "Well, I guess you can ride, Bo.
at the time that
From this reading "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer.
which person or people
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I thought you was ditched," says the shack who had held me by the collar.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If you hadn't let go of me when you did, you'd have been ditched along with me," I answer.
Chapter 3 of The Road by Jack London holds 422 sentences, grouped into 85 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 422 sentences of The Road, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of The Road by Jack London exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 422 sentences, grouped into 85 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 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 85 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 Road by Jack London on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3347 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #14658 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #14658, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 278 minutes of reading across 670 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Road section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 8 chapters of The Road 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 Road, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
