Chapter 19 of A Diversity of Creatures is here in full — 400 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XIX
Chapter 19 of A Diversity of Creatures is here in full — 400 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
'You're always so extreme,' he fluted reproachfully. 'You forget that nothing matters except the Idea. Besides, they are this lady's bees.' He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass. A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.
Chapter 19 of A Diversity of Creatures is here in full — 400 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/80 · 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 sudden loss of consciousness resulting when the rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel leads to oxygen lack in the brain
From this reading “A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.”
plural of “bee” — any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading “Besides, they are this lady's bees.'”
showing effects of planning or manipulation
From this reading “He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.”
slightly wet
From this reading “A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.”
possessive form of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading “Besides, they are this lady's bees.'”
an example regarded as typical of its class
From this reading “He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.”
gush forth in a sudden stream or jet
From this reading “A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.”
travel by means of steam power
From this reading “A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.”
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 A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading 'You're always so extreme,' he fluted reproachfully.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
a sudden loss of consciousness resulting when the rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel leads to oxygen lack in the brain
From this reading A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Besides, they are this lady's bees.'
plural of “bee” — any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading Besides, they are this lady's bees.'
in addition to; as well as
From this reading Besides, they are this lady's bees.'
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
showing effects of planning or manipulation
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
slightly wet
From this reading A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.
slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
apart from; not including
From this reading 'You forget that nothing matters except the Idea.
of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity
From this reading 'You're always so extreme,' he fluted reproachfully.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'You're always so extreme,' he fluted reproachfully.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading 'You forget that nothing matters except the Idea.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading 'You're always so extreme,' he fluted reproachfully.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading 'You forget that nothing matters except the Idea.
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
past form of “introduce” — cause to come to know personally
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
possessive form of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading Besides, they are this lady's bees.'
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading 'You forget that nothing matters except the Idea.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading 'You forget that nothing matters except the Idea.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.
in a reproving or reproachful manner
From this reading 'You're always so extreme,' he fluted reproachfully.
rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin
From this reading A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading 'You're always so extreme,' he fluted reproachfully.
an example regarded as typical of its class
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
gush forth in a sudden stream or jet
From this reading A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.
travel by means of steam power
From this reading A spurt of damp steam saved me from apoplexy.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading 'You forget that nothing matters except the Idea.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading 'You forget that nothing matters except the Idea.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Besides, they are this lady's bees.'
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Besides, they are this lady's bees.'
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading He closed the window, and introduced us through it in dumb show; but he contrived to give the impression that _I_ was the specimen under glass.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading 'You forget that nothing matters except the Idea.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'You're always so extreme,' he fluted reproachfully.
Chapter 19 of A Diversity of Creatures by Rudyard Kipling holds 400 sentences, grouped into 80 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 19 holds 400 sentences of A Diversity of Creatures, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 19 of A Diversity of Creatures by Rudyard Kipling exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 400 sentences, grouped into 80 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 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 80 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 19 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 A Diversity of Creatures by Rudyard Kipling on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 8131 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13085 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #13085, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1627 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through A Diversity of Creatures section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 20 chapters of A Diversity of Creatures 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 A Diversity of Creatures, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
