Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
A Hero of Our Time
A Hero of Our Time

Chapter XXXI · Chapter 31

Chapter 31 of A Hero of Our Time is here in full — 79 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Hero of Our Time
Context Illustration Reading 1/15 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
YESTERDAY, the conjurer Apfelbaum arrived here.
A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.
Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.
After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.
A note fell at my feet:
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Hero of Our Time

Chapter XXXI · Chapter 31

Chapter 31 of A Hero of Our Time is here in full — 79 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/15 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
YESTERDAY, the conjurer Apfelbaum arrived here.
Line 2
A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the NoblesClub (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.
Line 3
Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.
Line 4
After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.
Line 5
A note fell at my feet:
/ə noʊt fel æt maɪ fiːt/

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.

acrobat noun US /ˈækrəbæt/

an athlete who performs acts requiring skill and agility and coordination

From this reading “A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.”

chemist noun US /ˈkemɪst/

a scientist who specializes in chemistry

From this reading “A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.”

conjurer noun US /ˈkɑːndʒərʌr/

someone who performs magic tricks to amuse an audience

From this reading “YESTERDAY, the conjurer Apfelbaum arrived here.”

informing noun US /ˌɪnˈfɔːrmɪŋ/

to furnish incriminating evidence to an officer of the law (usually in return for favors)

From this reading “A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.”

intends verb US /ˌɪnˈtendz/

third-person singular of “intend” — have in mind as a purpose

From this reading “Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.”

optician noun US /ɑːpˈtɪʃən/

a worker who makes glasses for remedying defects of vision

From this reading “A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.”

placard verb US /ˈplækərd/

post in a public place

From this reading “A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.”

rubles noun US /ˈruːbəlz/

plural of “ruble” — the basic unit of money in Tajikistan

From this reading “A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.”

All words in this reading · 85

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.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

above-mentionedadjective

mentioned or named earlier in the same text

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

acrobatnounUS /ˈækrəbæt/

an athlete who performs acts requiring skill and agility and coordination

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

Apfelbaum

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

From this reading YESTERDAY, the conjurer Apfelbaum arrived here.

appearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

arrivedverbUS /ərˈaɪvd/

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading YESTERDAY, the conjurer Apfelbaum arrived here.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

balconynounUS /ˈbælkəni/

an upper floor projecting from the rear over the main floor in an auditorium

From this reading After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.

chemistnounUS /ˈkemɪst/

a scientist who specializes in chemistry

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

ClubnounUS /klʌb/

a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

conjurernounUS /ˈkɑːndʒərʌr/

someone who performs magic tricks to amuse an audience

From this reading YESTERDAY, the conjurer Apfelbaum arrived here.

daughternounUS /ˈdɔːtər/

a female human offspring

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

dinnernounUS /ˈdɪnər/

the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday

From this reading After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

eightadjectiveUS /eɪt/

being one more than seven

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

EveryonepronounUS /ˈevriwʌn/

every person

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading A note fell at my feet:

fellverbUS /fel/

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading A note fell at my feet:

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

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

From this reading YESTERDAY, the conjurer Apfelbaum arrived here.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

honournounUS /ˈɑːnər/

the state of being honored

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.

illadjectiveUS /ɪl/

affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

informingnounUS /ˌɪnˈfɔːrmɪŋ/

to furnish incriminating evidence to an officer of the law (usually in return for favors)

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

intendsverbUS /ˌɪnˈtendz/

third-person singular of “intend” — have in mind as a purpose

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

Ligovski

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

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

magnificentadjectiveUS /mæɡˈnɪfəsənt/

characterized by grandeur

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

marvellousadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrvələs/

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading A note fell at my feet:

NoblesnounUS /ˈnoʊbəlz/

plural of “noble” — a titled peer of the realm

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

notenounUS /noʊt/

a brief written record

From this reading A note fell at my feet:

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

opticiannounUS /ɑːpˈtɪʃən/

a worker who makes glasses for remedying defects of vision

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.

performancenounUS /pərˈfɔːrməns/

a dramatic or musical entertainment

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

placardverbUS /ˈplækərd/

post in a public place

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

PrincessnounUS /ˈprɪn.ses/

The daughter of a monarch; a female member of a royal family.

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

publicnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

respectedadjectiveUS /rɪˈspektɪd/

receiving deferential regard

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

restaurantnounUS /ˈrestərɑːnt/

a building where people go to eat

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

rublesnounUS /ˈruːbəlz/

plural of “ruble” — the basic unit of money in Tajikistan

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

saloonnounUS /səˈluːn/

a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.

sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.

spitenounUS /spaɪt/

feeling a need to see others suffer

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading YESTERDAY, the conjurer Apfelbaum arrived here.

ticketnounUS /ˈtɪkət/

a commercial document showing that the holder is entitled to something (as to ride on public transportation or to enter a public entertainment)

From this reading Everyone intends to go and see the marvellous conjurer; even Princess Ligovski has taken a ticket for herself, in spite of her daughter being ill.

ticketsnounUS /ˈtɪkəts/

plural of “ticket” — a commercial document showing that the holder is entitled to something (as to ride on public transportation or to enter a public entertainment)

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

to-day

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

From this reading After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

Vera's

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

From this reading After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.

windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading After dinner to-day, I walked past Vera’s windows; she was sitting by herself on the balcony.

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading A long placard made its appearance on the door of the restaurant, informing the most respected public that the above-mentioned marvellous conjurer, acrobat, chemist, and optician would have the honour to give a magnificent performance on the present day at eight o’clock in the evening, in the saloon of the Nobles’ Club (in other words, the restaurant); tickets--two rubles and a half each.

YESTERDAYnounUS /ˈjestərdeɪ/

the day immediately before today

From this reading YESTERDAY, the conjurer Apfelbaum arrived here.

Chapter 31 of A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Iurevich Lermontov holds 79 sentences, grouped into 16 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 31 of A Hero of Our Time contain?

Chapter 31 holds 79 sentences of A Hero of Our Time, unabridged, divided into 16 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 31 of A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Iurevich Lermontov exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 79 sentences, grouped into 16 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 31 of A Hero of Our Time?

Work through the 16 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 16 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 31 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 31 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 A Hero of Our Time

Common questions about reading A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Iurevich Lermontov on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Hero of Our Time?

Yes. All 4100 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #913 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Hero of Our Time is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #913, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Hero of Our Time take to read?

About 341 minutes of reading across 820 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Hero of Our Time section by section

How to work through A Hero of Our Time section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 36 chapters of A Hero of Our Time 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 A Hero of Our Time

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Hero of Our Time, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Travelling
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Hero of Our Time; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tiflis
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Hero of Our Time; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Luggage
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Hero of Our Time; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Consisted
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Hero of Our Time; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.