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A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper
A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper is here in full — 193 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper
Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.
The offer of escape filled me with excited thoughts.
These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.
I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.
It might be that I could make use of that very plan to save Almah; but if not, why then I was resolved to remain and meet my fate with her.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper is here in full — 193 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.
/ðə ˈflaɪɪŋ ˈmɑːnstər aɪ rɪˈtaɪrd tuː bed bʌt kʊd nɑːt sliːp/
Line 2
The offer of escape filled me with excited thoughts.
/ðə ˈɔːfər ʌv ɪˈskeɪp fɪld miː wɪð ɪkˈsaɪtəd θɔːts/
Line 3
These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.
Line 4
I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.
Line 5
It might be that I could make use of that very plan to save Almah; but if not, why then I was resolved to remain and meet my fate with her.

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.

awake adjective US /əˈweɪk/

not in a state of sleep; completely conscious

From this reading “These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.”

excited adjective US /ɪkˈsaɪtəd/

(of persons) excessively affected by emotion

From this reading “The offer of escape filled me with excited thoughts.”

flying adjective US /ˈflaɪɪŋ/

moving swiftly

From this reading “THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.”

lands noun US /lændz/

plural of “land” — the land on which real estate is located

From this reading “I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.”

monster noun US /ˈmɑːnstər/

an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts

From this reading “THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.”

plan verb US /plæn/

have the will and intention to carry out some action

From this reading “These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.”

resolved adjective US /riˈzɑːlvd/

determined

From this reading “It might be that I could make use of that very plan to save Almah; but if not, why then I was resolved to remain and meet my fate with her.”

retired adjective US /rɪˈtaɪrd/

no longer active in your work or profession

From this reading “THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.”

All words in this reading · 67

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

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 I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

Almah

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

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/

not in a state of sleep; completely conscious

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.

determinedadjectiveUS /dɪˈtɜːrmənd/

characterized by great determination

From this reading I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

escapenounUS /ɪˈskeɪp/

the act of escaping physically

From this reading The offer of escape filled me with excited thoughts.

excitedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtəd/

(of persons) excessively affected by emotion

From this reading The offer of escape filled me with excited thoughts.

fatenounUS /feɪt/

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

From this reading It might be that I could make use of that very plan to save Almah; but if not, why then I was resolved to remain and meet my fate with her.

filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading The offer of escape filled me with excited thoughts.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

FLYINGadjectiveUS /ˈflaɪɪŋ/

moving swiftly

From this reading THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.

followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

Gojin

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

From this reading I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading It might be that I could make use of that very plan to save Almah; but if not, why then I was resolved to remain and meet my fate with her.

impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

jom

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

From this reading I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

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

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

landsnounUS /lændz/

plural of “land” — the land on which real estate is located

From this reading I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

Layelah's

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

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

learnverbUS /lɜːrn/

gain knowledge or skills

From this reading I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading The offer of escape filled me with excited thoughts.

meetverbUS /miːt/

come together

From this reading It might be that I could make use of that very plan to save Almah; but if not, why then I was resolved to remain and meet my fate with her.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

MONSTERnounUS /ˈmɑːnstər/

an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts

From this reading THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading It might be that I could make use of that very plan to save Almah; but if not, why then I was resolved to remain and meet my fate with her.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The offer of escape filled me with excited thoughts.

offerverbUS /ˈɔːfər/

make available or accessible, provide or furnish

From this reading The offer of escape filled me with excited thoughts.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

planverbUS /plæn/

have the will and intention to carry out some action

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

purposenounUS /ˈpɜːrpəs/

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

questionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading I determined to find out all about it on the following jom--to question her as to the lands of the Gojin, to learn all her purpose.

remainverbUS /rɪˈmeɪn/

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading It might be that I could make use of that very plan to save Almah; but if not, why then I was resolved to remain and meet my fate with her.

resolvedadjectiveUS /riˈzɑːlvd/

determined

From this reading It might be that I could make use of that very plan to save Almah; but if not, why then I was resolved to remain and meet my fate with her.

retiredadjectiveUS /rɪˈtaɪrd/

no longer active in your work or profession

From this reading THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.

saveprepositionUS /seɪv/

except for; apart from

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

sleepnounUS /sliːp/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

thoughtsnounUS /θɔːts/

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading The offer of escape filled me with excited thoughts.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE FLYING MONSTER I retired to bed, but could not sleep.

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading It might be that I could make use of that very plan to save Almah; but if not, why then I was resolved to remain and meet my fate with her.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It might be that I could make use of that very plan to save Almah; but if not, why then I was resolved to remain and meet my fate with her.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

whynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading It might be that I could make use of that very plan to save Almah; but if not, why then I was resolved to remain and meet my fate with her.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The offer of escape filled me with excited thoughts.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading These made sleep impossible, and as I lay awake I thought that perhaps it would be well to know what might be Layelah's plan of escape, for I might then make use of it to save Almah.

Chapter 20 of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper by James De Mille holds 193 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 20 of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper contain?

Chapter 20 holds 193 sentences of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper, unabridged, divided into 39 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper by James De Mille exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 193 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 20 of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper?

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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper

Common questions about reading A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper by James De Mille on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper?

Yes. All 4670 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6709 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #6709, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper take to read?

About 389 minutes of reading across 934 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper section by section

How to work through A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Henry
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Apothecary
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Keswick
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cumberland
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.