Chapter 2 of A World is Born is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of A World is Born is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Footsteps echoed outside, grew louder, swept by. There was no light. But the steps were too sure to have been made in the dark. "Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't. Useful gadget.
Chapter 2 of A World is Born is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/83 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate
From this reading “Footsteps echoed outside, grew louder, swept by.”
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading “Footsteps echoed outside, grew louder, swept by.”
a device or control that is very useful for a particular job
From this reading “Useful gadget.”
(plural) tight-fitting spectacles worn to protect the eyes
From this reading “"Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.”
comparative of “loud” — characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading “Footsteps echoed outside, grew louder, swept by.”
a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence
From this reading “"Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.”
in a short and concise manner
From this reading “"Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.”
plural of “torch” — a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance
From this reading “"Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.”
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 to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading But the steps were too sure to have been made in the dark.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the steps were too sure to have been made in the dark.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Footsteps echoed outside, grew louder, swept by.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading But the steps were too sure to have been made in the dark.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.
past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate
From this reading Footsteps echoed outside, grew louder, swept by.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading Footsteps echoed outside, grew louder, swept by.
a device or control that is very useful for a particular job
From this reading Useful gadget.
(plural) tight-fitting spectacles worn to protect the eyes
From this reading "Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading "Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Footsteps echoed outside, grew louder, swept by.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading But the steps were too sure to have been made in the dark.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But the steps were too sure to have been made in the dark.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading There was no light.
comparative of “loud” — characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading Footsteps echoed outside, grew louder, swept by.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading But the steps were too sure to have been made in the dark.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no light.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Footsteps echoed outside, grew louder, swept by.
a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence
From this reading "Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading But the steps were too sure to have been made in the dark.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading But the steps were too sure to have been made in the dark.
possessing sweep
From this reading Footsteps echoed outside, grew louder, swept by.
in a short and concise manner
From this reading "Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But the steps were too sure to have been made in the dark.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no light.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But the steps were too sure to have been made in the dark.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading But the steps were too sure to have been made in the dark.
plural of “torch” — a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance
From this reading "Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.
being of use or service
From this reading Useful gadget.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no light.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But the steps were too sure to have been made in the dark.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Infra-red torches and goggles," Gray said tersely, "You see, but your quarry doesn't.
Chapter 2 of A World is Born by Leigh Brackett holds 416 sentences, grouped into 84 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 2 holds 416 sentences of A World is Born, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of A World is Born by Leigh Brackett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 416 sentences, grouped into 84 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 84 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 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.
Common questions about reading A World is Born by Leigh Brackett on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 838 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #22544 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #22544, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 69 minutes of reading across 168 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through A World is Born section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 2 chapters of A World is Born 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 World is Born, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
