A new Robinson Crusoe

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of A new Robinson Crusoe is here in full — 81 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By W. L. (William Livingston) Alden • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for A new Robinson Crusoe

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.

It was a beautiful day.

The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

We were stranded close to the shore of a lovely island, and in the opposite direction I could see the surf breaking on a reef that seemed to surround the island about a mile from the shore, everywhere except towards the south, where there was an opening about half a mile broad.

The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

Narrator

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 new Robinson Crusoe W. L. (William Livingston) Alden

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of A new Robinson Crusoe is here in full — 81 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

I woke up about five o’clock the next morning. It was a beautiful day. The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay. We were stranded close to the shore of a lovely island, and in the opposite direction I could see the surf breaking on a reef that seemed to surround the island about a mile from the shore, everywhere except towards the south, where there was an opening about half a mile broad. The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

A new Robinson Crusoe

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of A new Robinson Crusoe is here in full — 81 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/16 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.

/aɪ woʊk ʌp əˈbaʊt faɪv əˈklɑːk ðə nekst ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

Line 2

It was a beautiful day.

/ɪt wɑːz ə ˈbjuːtəfəl deɪ/

Line 3

The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

/ðə waɪnd hæd ɔːl daɪd daʊn ənd ðə siː wer ðə rek wɑːz ˈlaɪɪŋ wɑːz æz smuːð æz nuː jɔːrk beɪ/

Line 4

/wiː wɜːr ˈstrændɪd kloʊs tuː ðə ʃɔːr ʌv ə ˈlʌvli ˈaɪlənd ənd ɪn ðə ˈɑːpəzət dərˈekʃən aɪ kʊd siː ðə sɜːrf ˈbreɪkɪŋ ɑːn ə riːf ðæt siːmd tuː sərˈaʊnd ðə ˈaɪlənd əˈbaʊt ə maɪl frʌm ðə ʃɔːr ˈevriwer ɪkˈsept təˈwɔːrdz ðə saʊθ wer ðer wɑːz æn ˈoʊpənɪŋ əˈbaʊt hæf ə maɪl brɔːd/

Line 5

The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

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.

northerly adjective US /ˈnɔːrðərli/

situated in or oriented toward the north

From this reading “The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.”

reef noun US /riːf/

a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water

From this reading “We were stranded close to the shore of a lovely island, and in the opposite direction I could see the surf breaking on a reef that seemed to surround the island about a mile from the shore, everywhere except towards the south, where there was an opening about half a mile broad.”

shaped adjective US /ʃeɪpt/

shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)

From this reading “The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.”

stranded adjective US /ˈstrændɪd/

cut off or left behind

surf noun US /sɜːrf/

waves breaking on the shore

surround verb US /sərˈaʊnd/

extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle

woke verb US /woʊk/

inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there

From this reading “I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.”

wreck noun US /rek/

something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation

From this reading “The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

opposite direction adjective + noun

In this reading “We were stranded close to the shore of a lovely island, and in the opposite direction I could see the surf breaking on a reef that seemed to surround the island about a mile from the shore, everywhere except towards the south, where there was an opening about half a mile broad.”

next morning adjective + noun

In this reading “I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.”

woke up verb + adjective counted as “wake up”

cause to become awake or conscious

In this reading “I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.”

towards the south preposition + article + noun counted as “towards … south”

high hill adjective + noun

In this reading “The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.”

about five preposition + noun

In this reading “I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.”

on a reef preposition + article + noun counted as “on … reef”

from the shore preposition + article + noun counted as “from … shore”

All words in this reading · 74

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 It was a beautiful day.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading We were stranded close to the shore of a lovely island, and in the opposite direction I could see the surf breaking on a reef that seemed to surround the island about a mile from the shore, everywhere except towards the south, where there was an opening about half a mile broad.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

BaynounUS /beɪ/

an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading It was a beautiful day.

breakingnounUS /ˈbreɪkɪŋ/

the act of breaking something

broadadjectiveUS /brɔːd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

coveredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌvərd/

overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form

From this reading The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It was a beautiful day.

diedverbUS /daɪd/

past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

directionnounUS /dərˈekʃən/

a line leading to a place or point

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

everywhereadverbUS /ˈevriwer/

to or in any or all places

exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

fivenounUS /faɪv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

grewverbUS /ɡruː/

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

hillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

islandnounUS /ˈaɪlənd/

a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a beautiful day.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

lovelyadjectiveUS /ˈlʌvli/

appealing to the emotions as well as the eye

lyingnounUS /ˈlaɪɪŋ/

the deliberate act of deviating from the truth

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

milenounUS /maɪl/

a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.

northerlyadjectiveUS /ˈnɔːrðərli/

situated in or oriented toward the north

From this reading The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

openingnounUS /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/

an open or empty space in or between things

oppositeadjectiveUS /ˈɑːpəzət/

being directly across from each other; facing

reefnounUS /riːf/

a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

shapedadjectiveUS /ʃeɪpt/

shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)

From this reading The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

shorenounUS /ʃɔːr/

the land along the edge of a body of water

smoothadjectiveUS /smuːð/

having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

southnounUS /saʊθ/

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

strandedadjectiveUS /ˈstrændɪd/

cut off or left behind

sugar-loaf

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

From this reading The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

surfnounUS /sɜːrf/

waves breaking on the shore

surroundverbUS /sərˈaʊnd/

extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

treesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was a beautiful day.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

windnounUS /waɪnd/

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The island seemed to be covered with trees that grew close down to the shore, and at the northerly end there was a high hill that was shaped like a sugar-loaf.

wokeverbUS /woʊk/

inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there

From this reading I woke up about five o’clock the next morning.

wrecknounUS /rek/

something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

YorknounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading The wind had all died down, and the sea where the wreck was lying was as smooth as New York Bay.

Chapter 2 of A new Robinson Crusoe by W. L. (William Livingston) Alden holds 81 sentences, grouped into 17 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.

What does chapter 2 of A new Robinson Crusoe contain?

Chapter 2 holds 81 sentences of A new Robinson Crusoe, unabridged, divided into 17 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of A new Robinson Crusoe by W. L. (William Livingston) Alden exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 81 sentences, grouped into 17 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 2 of A new Robinson Crusoe?

Work through the 17 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 17 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 2 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading A new Robinson Crusoe

Common questions about reading A new Robinson Crusoe by W. L. (William Livingston) Alden on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A new Robinson Crusoe?

Yes. All 1308 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #70016 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A new Robinson Crusoe is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #70016, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A new Robinson Crusoe take to read?

About 109 minutes of reading across 262 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A new Robinson Crusoe section by section

How to work through A new Robinson Crusoe section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 14 chapters of A new Robinson Crusoe to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A new Robinson Crusoe

Words and structures a reader meets early in A new Robinson Crusoe, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Exactly: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A new Robinson Crusoe; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Write: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A new Robinson Crusoe; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Story: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A new Robinson Crusoe; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Except: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A new Robinson Crusoe; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter II

What does chapter 2 of A new Robinson Crusoe contain?

How do I study chapter 2 of A new Robinson Crusoe?

Can chapter 2 be read aloud to me?

Questions about reading A new Robinson Crusoe

How to read A new Robinson Crusoe section by section

Open a chapter

Read one section

Listen and tap

Vocabulary met early in A new Robinson Crusoe