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Active Service
Active Service

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Active Service is here in full — 174 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Active Service
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.
Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.
" Cables," he cried.
"Nothin' but cables!
All the people in New York are writing cables to you.
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.

Active Service

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Active Service is here in full — 174 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.
Line 2
Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.
Line 3
" Cables," he cried.
Line 4
"Nothin' but cables!
Line 5
All the people in New York are writing cables to you.

All words in this reading · 63

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.

a

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

All

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

From this reading All the people in New York are writing cables to you.

along

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

and

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

are

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

From this reading All the people in New York are writing cables to you.

As

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

at

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

From this reading Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.

belongings

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

bowled

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

briskly

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

but

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

From this reading "Nothin' but cables!

by

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

Cables

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

From this reading " Cables," he cried.

cave

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

chair

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

From this reading Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.

city

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

Coleman

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

correspondent

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

From this reading Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.

cried

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

From this reading " Cables," he cried.

dark

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

dripped

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

Eclipse

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

From this reading Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.

flaring

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

from

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

From this reading Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.

had

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

hansom

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

he

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

his

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

hotel

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

illuminated

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

in

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

joy

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

From this reading Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.

like

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

London

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

From this reading Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.

New

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

From this reading All the people in New York are writing cables to you.

Nothin

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

From this reading "Nothin' but cables!

of

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

only

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

passages

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

people

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

From this reading All the people in New York are writing cables to you.

planted

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

red

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

relief

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

From this reading Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.

shout

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

From this reading Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.

sight

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

From this reading Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.

signs

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

smoky

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

soon

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

Strand

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

the

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

through

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

to

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

From this reading All the people in New York are writing cables to you.

Walkley

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

From this reading Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.

walls

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

was

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

were

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

whirled

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

From this reading Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.

whose

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

with

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

From this reading Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman.

writing

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

From this reading All the people in New York are writing cables to you.

yellow

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

From this reading As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs.

York

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

From this reading All the people in New York are writing cables to you.

you

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

From this reading All the people in New York are writing cables to you.

Chapter 8 of Active Service by Stephen Crane holds 174 sentences, grouped into 35 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 8 of Active Service contain?

Chapter 8 holds 174 sentences of Active Service, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of Active Service by Stephen Crane exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 174 sentences, grouped into 35 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 8 of Active Service?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Active Service

Common questions about reading Active Service by Stephen Crane on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Active Service?

Yes. All 5592 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2364 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Active Service is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2364, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Active Service take to read?

About 466 minutes of reading across 1119 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Active Service section by section

How to work through Active Service section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 30 chapters of Active Service 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 Active Service

Words and structures a reader meets early in Active Service, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Marjory
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Active Service; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Walked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Active Service; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pensively
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Active Service; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Along
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Active Service; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.