Chapter 9 of The Tangled Threads is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IX
Chapter 9 of The Tangled Threads is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Two days later the automobile came. Perhaps the grocer waited. Perhaps the laundry bill went unpaid. Perhaps an obliging friend advanced a loan. Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
Chapter 9 of The Tangled Threads is here in full — 423 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.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading “Two days later the automobile came.”
an outbuilding (or part of a building) for housing automobiles
From this reading “Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.”
a retail merchant who sells foodstuffs (and some household supplies)
From this reading “Perhaps the grocer waited.”
garments or white goods that can be cleaned by laundering
From this reading “Perhaps the laundry bill went unpaid.”
showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others
From this reading “Perhaps an obliging friend advanced a loan.”
the complete duration of something
From this reading “Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.”
completely neat and clean
From this reading “Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.”
not paid
From this reading “Perhaps the laundry bill went unpaid.”
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 Perhaps an obliging friend advanced a loan.
regarded with admiration
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading Perhaps an obliging friend advanced a loan.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Perhaps an obliging friend advanced a loan.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading Two days later the automobile came.
a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading Perhaps the laundry bill went unpaid.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Two days later the automobile came.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Two days later the automobile came.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
the organ of sight
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Perhaps an obliging friend advanced a loan.
an outbuilding (or part of a building) for housing automobiles
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
a retail merchant who sells foodstuffs (and some household supplies)
From this reading Perhaps the grocer waited.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Two days later the automobile came.
garments or white goods that can be cleaned by laundering
From this reading Perhaps the laundry bill went unpaid.
the temporary provision of money (usually at interest)
From this reading Perhaps an obliging friend advanced a loan.
showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others
From this reading Perhaps an obliging friend advanced a loan.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
by chance
From this reading Perhaps the grocer waited.
the complete duration of something
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
completely neat and clean
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Two days later the automobile came.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two days later the automobile came.
not paid
From this reading Perhaps the laundry bill went unpaid.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Perhaps the grocer waited.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Perhaps the laundry bill went unpaid.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading Whatever it was, spic and span in Dearborn's garage stood the three-thousand-dollar automobile, the admired of every eye.
Chapter 9 of The Tangled Threads by Eleanor H. (Eleanor Hodgman) Porter holds 423 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 9 holds 423 sentences of The Tangled Threads, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 9 of The Tangled Threads by Eleanor H. (Eleanor Hodgman) Porter exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 423 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 9 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 Tangled Threads by Eleanor H. (Eleanor Hodgman) Porter on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3725 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #19336 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #19336, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 310 minutes of reading across 745 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Tangled Threads section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 9 chapters of The Tangled Threads 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 Tangled Threads, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
