Chapter 2 of Tom, Dick and Harry is here in full — 434 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Tom, Dick and Harry is here in full — 434 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task. "That ought to keep any more from running out," said Dicky. "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end." The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck. Still, it was the best we could think of as we turned to go.
Chapter 2 of Tom, Dick and Harry is here in full — 434 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/86 · 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.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading “The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task.”
a small third seat in the back of an old-fashioned two-seater
From this reading “"That ought to keep any more from running out," said Dicky.”
fasten with a hook
From this reading “"If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."”
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading “The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck.”
occurring by chance
From this reading “"If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."”
of or relating to the practice of science
From this reading “The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck.”
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading “The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task.”
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena
From this reading “The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck.”
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.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "That ought to keep any more from running out," said Dicky.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Still, it was the best we could think of as we turned to go.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading Still, it was the best we could think of as we turned to go.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Still, it was the best we could think of as we turned to go.
a small third seat in the back of an old-fashioned two-seater
From this reading "That ought to keep any more from running out," said Dicky.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "That ought to keep any more from running out," said Dicky.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Still, it was the best we could think of as we turned to go.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task.
fasten with a hook
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Still, it was the best we could think of as we turned to go.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading "That ought to keep any more from running out," said Dicky.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck.
occurring by chance
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
the force of workers available
From this reading The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "That ought to keep any more from running out," said Dicky.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Still, it was the best we could think of as we turned to go.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading "That ought to keep any more from running out," said Dicky.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "That ought to keep any more from running out," said Dicky.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading "That ought to keep any more from running out," said Dicky.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "That ought to keep any more from running out," said Dicky.
of or relating to the practice of science
From this reading The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck.
not in physical motion
From this reading Still, it was the best we could think of as we turned to go.
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "That ought to keep any more from running out," said Dicky.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task.
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena
From this reading The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading Still, it was the best we could think of as we turned to go.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Still, it was the best we could think of as we turned to go.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The theory was not exactly scientific, for scientific men do not believe in luck.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
(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 The bell began to ring before we had well completed the task.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "If we're lucky, the water will come in on its own hook at the other end."
Chapter 2 of Tom, Dick and Harry by Talbot Baines Reed holds 434 sentences, grouped into 87 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 2 holds 434 sentences of Tom, Dick and Harry, unabridged, divided into 87 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Tom, Dick and Harry by Talbot Baines Reed exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 434 sentences, grouped into 87 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 87 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 87 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 2 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 Tom, Dick and Harry by Talbot Baines Reed on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5920 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20992 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #20992, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 493 minutes of reading across 1184 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Tom, Dick and Harry section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 14 chapters of Tom, Dick and Harry 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 Tom, Dick and Harry, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
