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The Water Ghost and Others
The Water Ghost and Others

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Water Ghost and Others is here in full — 488 sentences across 98 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Water Ghost and Others
Context Illustration Reading 1/97 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"You are flippant," he replied.
"But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.
You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.
You want something that will knock the 'Martyr's Night' silly."
"Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.
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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 Water Ghost and Others

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Water Ghost and Others is here in full — 488 sentences across 98 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/97 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"You are flippant," he replied.
/juː ɑːr ˈflɪpənt hiː rɪˈplaɪd/
Line 2
"But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.
Line 3
You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.
Line 4
You want something that will knock the 'Martyr's Night' silly."
Line 5
"Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

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.

aid noun US /eɪd/

a person or thing that is a resource that helps make something easier or possible to do

From this reading “"But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.”

club noun US /klʌb/

a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together

From this reading “You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.”

exactly adverb US /ɪɡˈzæktli/

indicating exactness or preciseness

From this reading “"Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.”

failures noun US /ˈfeɪljərz/

plural of “failure” — an act that fails

From this reading “"Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.”

flippant adjective US /ˈflɪpənt/

showing inappropriate levity

From this reading “"You are flippant," he replied.”

knock verb US /nɑːk/

deliver a sharp blow or push

From this reading “You want something that will knock the 'Martyr's Night' silly."”

provide verb US /prəˈvaɪd/

give something useful or necessary to

From this reading “You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.”

silly adjective US /ˈsɪli/

ludicrous, foolish

From this reading “You want something that will knock the 'Martyr's Night' silly."”

All words in this reading · 50

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.

15th

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

From this reading You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.

abominablyadverb

in an offensive and hateful manner

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

addedverbUS /ˈædəd/

past form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

aidnounUS /eɪd/

a person or thing that is a resource that helps make something easier or possible to do

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(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 "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading "You are flippant," he replied.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

clubnounUS /klʌb/

a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together

From this reading You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

don't

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

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

exactlyadverbUS /ɪɡˈzæktli/

indicating exactness or preciseness

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

failuresnounUS /ˈfeɪljərz/

plural of “failure” — an act that fails

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

flippantadjectiveUS /ˈflɪpənt/

showing inappropriate levity

From this reading "You are flippant," he replied.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "You are flippant," he replied.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

Hiram

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

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

knockverbUS /nɑːk/

deliver a sharp blow or push

From this reading You want something that will knock the 'Martyr's Night' silly."

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

Martyr's

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

From this reading You want something that will knock the 'Martyr's Night' silly."

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.

NotadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

provideverbUS /prəˈvaɪd/

give something useful or necessary to

From this reading You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.

repliedverbUS /rɪˈplaɪd/

inflected form of “reply” — react verbally

From this reading "You are flippant," he replied.

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

sillyadjectiveUS /ˈsɪli/

ludicrous, foolish

From this reading You want something that will knock the 'Martyr's Night' silly."

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading You want something that will knock the 'Martyr's Night' silly."

spitenounUS /spaɪt/

feeling a need to see others suffer

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading You want something that will knock the 'Martyr's Night' silly."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading "Not exactly that," I replied, "I don't want anything so abominably good as to make all the other things I have done seem failures.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

unworthinessnoun

the quality or state of lacking merit or value

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading You want to know what to provide for your club night on the 15th.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading You want something that will knock the 'Martyr's Night' silly."

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "You are flippant," he replied.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "But, Hiram," he added, "I have come here to aid you in spite of your unworthiness.

Chapter 3 of The Water Ghost and Others by John Kendrick Bangs holds 488 sentences, grouped into 98 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 Water Ghost and Others contain?

Chapter 3 holds 488 sentences of The Water Ghost and Others, unabridged, divided into 98 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The Water Ghost and Others by John Kendrick Bangs exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 488 sentences, grouped into 98 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 Water Ghost and Others?

Work through the 98 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 98 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 Water Ghost and Others

Common questions about reading The Water Ghost and Others by John Kendrick Bangs on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Water Ghost and Others?

Yes. All 1918 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8377 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Water Ghost and Others is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #8377, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Water Ghost and Others take to read?

About 159 minutes of reading across 384 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Water Ghost and Others section by section

How to work through The Water Ghost and Others section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 4 chapters of The Water Ghost and Others 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 Water Ghost and Others

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Water Ghost and Others, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Trouble
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Water Ghost and Others; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Harrowby
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Water Ghost and Others; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Haunted
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Water Ghost and Others; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Worse
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Water Ghost and Others; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.