Chapter 3 of Voices from the Past is here in full — 418 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Voices from the Past is here in full — 418 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me. Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest? Why are we never satisfied? I wish there were no birthdays. ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
Chapter 3 of Voices from the Past is here in full — 418 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/83 · 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.
plural of “birthday” — an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)
From this reading ““I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.”
a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading “( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.”
increase twofold
From this reading ““I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.”
the act of someone who fishes as a diversion
From this reading “( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.”
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading “Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest?”
a formal and solemn declaration of objection
From this reading “Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest?”
past form of “sail” — traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading “( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.”
used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father
From this reading “Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest?”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
a vessel for fishing; often has a well to keep the catch alive
In this reading “( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.”
In this reading “( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.”
a teenager or a young adult male
In this reading “( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.”
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 ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Why are we never satisfied?
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest?
plural of “birthday” — an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
determine the number or amount of
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest?
increase twofold
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
the act of someone who fishes as a diversion
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I wish there were no birthdays.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Why are we never satisfied?
not any; not one
From this reading I wish there were no birthdays.
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest?
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
a formal and solemn declaration of objection
From this reading Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest?
a rare heavy polyvalent metallic element that resembles manganese chemically and is used in some alloys; is obtained as a by-product in refining molybdenum
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
past form of “sail” — traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
filled with satisfaction
From this reading Why are we never satisfied?
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
in or at that place or location
From this reading I wish there were no birthdays.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest?
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest?
hope for; have a wish
From this reading Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest?
the words that are spoken
From this reading “I’ve had so many double birthdays, I’ve lost count,” were the words re- peated to me.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading ( For several days, Kleis and I have sailed, our boat a good fishing boat, cap- tained by a young man named Phaon.
used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father
From this reading Why do we wish to be older, younger, always in protest?
Chapter 3 of Voices from the Past by Paul Alexander Bartlett holds 418 sentences, grouped into 84 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 3 holds 418 sentences of Voices from the Past, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Voices from the Past by Paul Alexander Bartlett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 418 sentences, grouped into 84 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 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 84 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 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.
Common questions about reading Voices from the Past by Paul Alexander Bartlett on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 11644 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #39468 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #39468, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 2329 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Voices from the Past section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 29 chapters of Voices from the Past 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 Voices from the Past, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
