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The Story of Wool
The Story of Wool

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Story of Wool is here in full — 261 sentences across 53 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Sara Ware Bassett • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Story of Wool
Context Illustration Reading 1/52 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.
"I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.
Thornton did not hesitate.
"Yes, indeed, sir.
We can start right in to-day if you wish.
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 Story of Wool

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Story of Wool is here in full — 261 sentences across 53 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/52 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.
/ðə ˈdɪpɪŋ ɪt wɑːz ə ɡreɪt sərˈpraɪz tuː tɑːm ˈθɔːrntən wen ˈmɪstər klɑːrk ˌɪnˈfɔːrmd hɪm ðæt hiː ˈwɔːntɪd ðə men tuː stɑːrt ɪn ˈdɪpɪŋ ðə ʃiːp æz suːn æz ðeɪ kʊd ɡet ˈredi/
Line 2
"I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.
/aɪ səˈpoʊz ˈθɔːrntən juː hæv ˈevriθɪŋ ɪn ˈredinəs fɔːr ðə wɜːrk kənˈtɪnjuːd ðə ˈoʊnər ˈkæʒəwəli/
Line 3
Thornton did not hesitate.
/ˈθɔːrntən dɪd nɑːt ˈhezəteɪt/
Line 4
"Yes, indeed, sir.
/jes ˌɪnˈdiːd sɜːr/
Line 5
We can start right in to-day if you wish.

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.

casually adverb US /ˈkæʒəwəli/

not methodically or according to plan

From this reading “"I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Clark noun US /klɑːrk/

United States explorer who (with Meriwether Lewis) led an expedition from St. Louis to the mouth of the Columbia River; Clark was responsible for making maps of the area (1770-1838)

From this reading “THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dipping verb US /ˈdɪpɪŋ/

inflected form of “dip” — immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate

From this reading “THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hesitate verb US /ˈhezəteɪt/

pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness

From this reading “Thornton did not hesitate.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
owner noun US /ˈoʊnər/

(law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business

From this reading “"I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
readiness noun US /ˈredinəs/

the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action)

From this reading “"I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sheep noun US /ʃiːp/

woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat

From this reading “THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Thornton noun US /ˈθɔːrntən/

American architect (1759-1828)

From this reading “THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 51

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 THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading We can start right in to-day if you wish.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
casuallyadverbUS /ˈkæʒəwəli/

not methodically or according to plan

From this reading "I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ClarknounUS /klɑːrk/

United States explorer who (with Meriwether Lewis) led an expedition from St. Louis to the mouth of the Columbia River; Clark was responsible for making maps of the area (1770-1838)

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
continuedadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːd/

without stop or interruption

From this reading "I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.

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

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

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Thornton did not hesitate.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
DIPPINGverbUS /ˈdɪpɪŋ/

inflected form of “dip” — immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading "I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

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

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hesitateverbUS /ˈhezəteɪt/

pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness

From this reading Thornton did not hesitate.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading We can start right in to-day if you wish.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading "Yes, indeed, sir.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
informedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈfɔːrmd/

having much knowledge or education

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Thornton did not hesitate.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ownernounUS /ˈoʊnər/

(law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business

From this reading "I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
readinessnounUS /ˈredinəs/

the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action)

From this reading "I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading We can start right in to-day if you wish.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sheepnounUS /ʃiːp/

woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading "Yes, indeed, sir.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
startverbUS /stɑːrt/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
supposeverbUS /səˈpoʊz/

express a supposition

From this reading "I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
surprisenounUS /sərˈpraɪz/

the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

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 THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThorntonnounUS /ˈθɔːrntən/

American architect (1759-1828)

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
to-day

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

From this reading We can start right in to-day if you wish.

Pending verification
TomnounUS /tɑːm/

male cat

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wantedadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːntɪd/

desired or wished for or sought

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We can start right in to-day if you wish.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading THE DIPPING It was a great surprise to Tom Thornton when Mr. Clark informed him that he wanted the men to start in dipping the sheep as soon as they could get ready.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wishverbUS /wɪʃ/

hope for; have a wish

From this reading We can start right in to-day if you wish.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading "I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
YesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading "Yes, indeed, sir.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "I suppose, Thornton, you have everything in readiness for the work," continued the owner casually.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 3 of The Story of Wool by Sara Ware Bassett holds 261 sentences, grouped into 53 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 3 of The Story of Wool contain?

Chapter 3 holds 261 sentences of The Story of Wool, unabridged, divided into 53 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The Story of Wool by Sara Ware Bassett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 261 sentences, grouped into 53 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 3 of The Story of Wool?

Work through the 53 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 53 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 3 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading The Story of Wool

Common questions about reading The Story of Wool by Sara Ware Bassett on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Story of Wool?

Yes. All 2643 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24858 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Story of Wool is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #24858, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Story of Wool take to read?

About 220 minutes of reading across 529 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Story of Wool section by section

How to work through The Story of Wool section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 13 chapters of The Story of Wool 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 Story of Wool

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Story of Wool, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of Wool; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Story
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of Wool; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lumber
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of Wool; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Leather
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of Wool; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.