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Accept no substitutes
Accept no substitutes

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Accept no substitutes is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Accept no substitutes
Context Illustration Reading 1/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.
He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.
"Tower to G43221," the radio buzzed.
"Please await customs inspection."
"Righto," said Garvey, with a calmness he did not feel.
0:00 / 0:00
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Accept no substitutes

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Accept no substitutes is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.
Line 2
He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.
/hiː wɑːz ɑːn ˈjeloʊ ˈstændˈbaɪ ˈweɪtɪŋ fɔːr ðə ɡriːn wen hɪz ˈreɪdioʊ ˈkrækəld/
Line 3
"Tower to G43221," the radio buzzed.
Line 4
"Please await customs inspection."
/pliːz əˈweɪt ˈkʌstəmz ˌɪnˈspekʃən/
Line 5
"Righto," said Garvey, with a calmness he did not feel.

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.

buzzed verb US /bʌzd/

past form of “buzz” — make a buzzing sound

From this reading “"Tower to G43221," the radio buzzed.”

crackled verb US /ˈkrækəld/

past form of “crackle” — make a crackling sound

From this reading “He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.”

fiercer adjective US /ˈfɪrsər/

comparative of “fierce” — marked by extreme and violent energy

From this reading “_The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.”

Sexual adjective US /ˈsekʃuːəl/

of or relating to or characterized by sexuality

From this reading “_The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.”

sling verb US /slɪŋ/

hurl as if with a sling

From this reading “_The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.”

standby noun US /ˈstændˈbaɪ/

something that can be relied on when needed

From this reading “He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.”

surrogate noun US /ˈsɜːrəɡət/

someone who takes the place of another person

From this reading “_The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.”

takeoff noun US /ˈteɪkɔːf/

a departure; especially of airplanes

From this reading “_The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.”

All words in this reading · 55

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.

43221

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

From this reading "Tower to G43221," the radio buzzed.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading "Righto," said Garvey, with a calmness he did not feel.

ActverbUS /ækt/

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

Algolian

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

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

awaitverbUS /əˈweɪt/

look forward to the probable occurrence of

From this reading "Please await customs inspection."

BostonnounUS /ˈbɑːstən/

state capital and largest city of Massachusetts; a major center for banking and financial services

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

buckverbUS /bʌk/

to strive with determination

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

buzzedverbUS /bʌzd/

past form of “buzz” — make a buzzing sound

From this reading "Tower to G43221," the radio buzzed.

calmnessnounUS /ˈkɑːmnəs/

steadiness of mind under stress

From this reading "Righto," said Garvey, with a calmness he did not feel.

crackledverbUS /ˈkrækəld/

past form of “crackle” — make a crackling sound

From this reading He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.

customsnounUS /ˈkʌstəmz/

money collected under a tariff

From this reading "Please await customs inspection."

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading "Righto," said Garvey, with a calmness he did not feel.

ernounUS /ər/

a trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; occurs with yttrium

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

feelverbUS /fiːl/

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading "Righto," said Garvey, with a calmness he did not feel.

fierceadjectiveUS /fɪrs/

marked by extreme and violent energy

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

fierceradjectiveUS /ˈfɪrsər/

comparative of “fierce” — marked by extreme and violent energy

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

GnounUS /dʒiː/

a metric unit of weight equal to one thousandth of a kilogram

From this reading "Tower to G43221," the radio buzzed.

Garvey

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

From this reading "Righto," said Garvey, with a calmness he did not feel.

Garvey's

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

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

greennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

inspectionnounUS /ˌɪnˈspekʃən/

a formal or official examination

From this reading "Please await customs inspection."

MoralitynounUS /mərˈæləti/

concern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong; right or good conduct

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "Righto," said Garvey, with a calmness he did not feel.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.

PleaseverbUS /pliːz/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading "Please await customs inspection."

privateadjectiveUS /ˈpraɪvət/

confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

radionounUS /ˈreɪdioʊ/

medium for communication

From this reading He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.

Ralph

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

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

Righto

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

From this reading "Righto," said Garvey, with a calmness he did not feel.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Righto," said Garvey, with a calmness he did not feel.

sexnounUS /seks/

activities associated with sexual intercourse

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

SexualadjectiveUS /ˈsekʃuːəl/

of or relating to or characterized by sexuality

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

slingverbUS /slɪŋ/

hurl as if with a sling

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

spacenounUS /speɪs/

the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

Spaceport

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

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

standbynounUS /ˈstændˈbaɪ/

something that can be relied on when needed

From this reading He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.

surrogatenounUS /ˈsɜːrəɡət/

someone who takes the place of another person

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

takeoffnounUS /ˈteɪkɔːf/

a departure; especially of airplanes

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

TowernounUS /ˈtaʊər/

a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building

From this reading "Tower to G43221," the radio buzzed.

waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "Righto," said Garvey, with a calmness he did not feel.

yachtnounUS /jɑːt/

an expensive vessel propelled by sail or power and used for cruising or racing

From this reading _The Sexual Morality Act was fierce to buck, but the Algolian sex surrogate was ... er ... even fiercer!_ Ralph Garvey's private space yacht was in the sling at Boston Spaceport, ready for takeoff.

yellowadjectiveUS /ˈjeloʊ/

of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk

From this reading He was on yellow standby, waiting for the green, when his radio crackled.

Chapter 1 of Accept no substitutes by Robert Sheckley holds 423 sentences, grouped into 85 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 1 of Accept no substitutes contain?

Chapter 1 holds 423 sentences of Accept no substitutes, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Accept no substitutes by Robert Sheckley exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 423 sentences, grouped into 85 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 1 of Accept no substitutes?

Work through the 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 85 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Accept no substitutes

Common questions about reading Accept no substitutes by Robert Sheckley on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Accept no substitutes?

Yes. All 423 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #71859 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Accept no substitutes is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #71859, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Accept no substitutes take to read?

About 35 minutes of reading across 85 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Accept no substitutes section by section

How to work through Accept no substitutes section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of Accept no substitutes 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 Accept no substitutes

Words and structures a reader meets early in Accept no substitutes, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Sexual
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Accept no substitutes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Morality
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Accept no substitutes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fierce
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Accept no substitutes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Algolian
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Accept no substitutes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.