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Twelve Stories and a Dream
Twelve Stories and a Dream

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of Twelve Stories and a Dream is here in full — 195 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Twelve Stories and a Dream
Context Illustration Reading 1/39 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.
I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.
Go back to respectable courses, my man.
YOUR lay is the philanthropic lay--that is your lay.
With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.
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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.

Twelve Stories and a Dream

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of Twelve Stories and a Dream is here in full — 195 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/39 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.
Line 2
I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.
/aɪ noʊ juː ˈbetər ðæn aɪ dɪd ənd naʊ aɪ duː nɑːt ˈiːvɪn ˌrekəˈmend ˈfɔːrdʒəri/
Line 3
Go back to respectable courses, my man.
/ɡoʊ bæk tuː rɪˈspektəbəl ˈkɔːrsəz maɪ mæn/
Line 4
YOUR lay is the philanthropic lay--that is your lay.
Line 5
With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.

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.

Association noun US /əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃən/

a formal organization of people or groups of people

From this reading “With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.”

courses noun US /ˈkɔːrsəz/

plural of “course” — education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading “Go back to respectable courses, my man.”

forgery noun US /ˈfɔːrdʒəri/

a copy that is represented as the original

From this reading “I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.”

philanthropic adjective US /ˌfɪlənˈθrɑːpɪk/

generous in assistance to the poor

From this reading “YOUR lay is the philanthropic lay--that is your lay.”

Promotion noun US /prəˈmoʊʃən/

a message issued in behalf of some product or cause or idea or person or institution

From this reading “With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.”

recommend verb US /ˌrekəˈmend/

push for something

From this reading “I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.”

respectability noun US /riˌspektəˈbɪlɪti/

honorableness by virtue of being respectable and having a good reputation

From this reading ““Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.”

temperament noun US /ˈtemprəmənt/

your usual mood

From this reading ““Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.”

All words in this reading · 46

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.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading “Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.

AssociationnounUS /əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃən/

a formal organization of people or groups of people

From this reading With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Go back to respectable courses, my man.

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.

coursesnounUS /ˈkɔːrsəz/

plural of “course” — education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading Go back to respectable courses, my man.

crimenounUS /kraɪm/

(criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act

From this reading “Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.

forgerynounUS /ˈfɔːrdʒəri/

a copy that is represented as the original

From this reading I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.

GoverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Go back to respectable courses, my man.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading YOUR lay is the philanthropic lay--that is your lay.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading “Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

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

From this reading I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading YOUR lay is the philanthropic lay--that is your lay.

linenounUS /laɪn/

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Go back to respectable courses, my man.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.

minepronounUS /maɪn/

the one or ones belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Go back to respectable courses, my man.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.

NowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading “Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.

philanthropicadjectiveUS /ˌfɪlənˈθrɑːpɪk/

generous in assistance to the poor

From this reading YOUR lay is the philanthropic lay--that is your lay.

PromotionnounUS /prəˈmoʊʃən/

a message issued in behalf of some product or cause or idea or person or institution

From this reading With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.

recommendverbUS /ˌrekəˈmend/

push for something

From this reading I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.

respectabilitynounUS /riˌspektəˈbɪlɪti/

honorableness by virtue of being respectable and having a good reputation

From this reading “Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.

respectableadjectiveUS /rɪˈspektəbəl/

characterized by socially or conventionally acceptable morals

From this reading Go back to respectable courses, my man.

Snivelling

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

From this reading With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.

temperamentnounUS /ˈtemprəmənt/

your usual mood

From this reading “Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading I know you better than I did, and now I do not even recommend forgery.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading YOUR lay is the philanthropic lay--that is your lay.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading YOUR lay is the philanthropic lay--that is your lay.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Go back to respectable courses, my man.

unfits

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

From this reading “Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.

voicenounUS /vɔɪs/

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.

YoungadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading With that voice--the Association for the Promotion of Snivelling among the Young--something in that line.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Now, your temperament unfits you for crime--just as mine unfits me for respectability.

Chapter 16 of Twelve Stories and a Dream by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells holds 195 sentences, grouped into 39 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 16 of Twelve Stories and a Dream contain?

Chapter 16 holds 195 sentences of Twelve Stories and a Dream, unabridged, divided into 39 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of Twelve Stories and a Dream by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 195 sentences, grouped into 39 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 16 of Twelve Stories and a Dream?

Work through the 39 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 39 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Twelve Stories and a Dream

Common questions about reading Twelve Stories and a Dream by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Twelve Stories and a Dream?

Yes. All 4576 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1743 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Twelve Stories and a Dream is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1743, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Twelve Stories and a Dream take to read?

About 381 minutes of reading across 916 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Twelve Stories and a Dream section by section

How to work through Twelve Stories and a Dream section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of Twelve Stories and a Dream 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 Twelve Stories and a Dream

Words and structures a reader meets early in Twelve Stories and a Dream, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Skelmersdale
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Twelve Stories and a Dream; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fairyland
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Twelve Stories and a Dream; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Story
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Twelve Stories and a Dream; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Inexperienced
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Twelve Stories and a Dream; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.