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Afloat
Afloat

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Afloat is here in full — 114 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Afloat
Context Illustration Reading 1/22 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.
"Every word that you are saying, Lil Artha, is the truth," he announced.
"I've been watching those ragged edges of bushes myself.
You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.
Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."
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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.

Afloat

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Afloat is here in full — 114 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/22 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.
Line 2
"Every word that you are saying, Lil Artha, is the truth," he announced.
Line 3
"I've been watching those ragged edges of bushes myself.
Line 4
You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.
Line 5
Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."

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.

bushes noun US /ˈbʊʃəz/

plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems

From this reading “"I've been watching those ragged edges of bushes myself.”

clues noun US /kluːz/

plural of “clue” — a slight indication

From this reading “PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.”

directions noun US /dərˈekʃənz/

plural of “direction” — a line leading to a place or point

From this reading “You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.”

edges noun US /ˈedʒəz/

plural of “edge” — the boundary of a surface

From this reading “"I've been watching those ragged edges of bushes myself.”

Johnny noun US /ˈdʒɑːni/

“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms

From this reading “You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.”

Patrol noun US /pəˈtroʊl/

a detachment used for security or reconnaissance

From this reading “PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.”

picking noun US /ˈpɪkɪŋ/

the quantity of a crop that is harvested

From this reading “PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.”

ragged adjective US /ˈræɡəd/

being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn

From this reading “"I've been watching those ragged edges of bushes myself.”

All words in this reading · 62

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 You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

announcedadjectiveUS /əˈnaʊnst/

declared publicly; made widely known

From this reading "Every word that you are saying, Lil Artha, is the truth," he announced.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading "Every word that you are saying, Lil Artha, is the truth," he announced.

Artha

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

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading "I've been watching those ragged edges of bushes myself.

bushesnounUS /ˈbʊʃəz/

plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems

From this reading "I've been watching those ragged edges of bushes myself.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

CLUESnounUS /kluːz/

plural of “clue” — a slight indication

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

directionsnounUS /dərˈekʃənz/

plural of “direction” — a line leading to a place or point

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

edgesnounUS /ˈedʒəz/

plural of “edge” — the boundary of a surface

From this reading "I've been watching those ragged edges of bushes myself.

EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading "Every word that you are saying, Lil Artha, is the truth," he announced.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

I'd

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

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

I've

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

From this reading "I've been watching those ragged edges of bushes myself.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "Every word that you are saying, Lil Artha, is the truth," he announced.

JohnnynounUS /ˈdʒɑːni/

“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

laughedverbUS /læft/

past form of “laugh” — produce laughter

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

leadernounUS /ˈliːdər/

a person who rules or guides or inspires others

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

Lil

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

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

mixedadjectiveUS /mɪkst/

consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading "I've been watching those ragged edges of bushes myself.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."

PatrolnounUS /pəˈtroʊl/

a detachment used for security or reconnaissance

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

PICKINGnounUS /ˈpɪkɪŋ/

the quantity of a crop that is harvested

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

raggedadjectiveUS /ˈræɡəd/

being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn

From this reading "I've been watching those ragged edges of bushes myself.

remarknounUS /rɪˈmɑːrk/

a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

sayingnounUS /ˈseɪɪŋ/

a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations

From this reading "Every word that you are saying, Lil Artha, is the truth," he announced.

schemenounUS /skiːm/

an elaborate and systematic plan of action

From this reading Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."

Spreen

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

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "Every word that you are saying, Lil Artha, is the truth," he announced.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading "I've been watching those ragged edges of bushes myself.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."

truthnounUS /truːθ/

a fact that has been verified

From this reading "Every word that you are saying, Lil Artha, is the truth," he announced.

UPadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."

watchingnounUS /ˈwɑːtʃɪŋ/

the act of observing; taking a patient look

From this reading "I've been watching those ragged edges of bushes myself.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Then I'd want to have some other scheme so as to find my way."

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading You see, the time might come after a while when I'd get mixed on the directions given by Johnny Spreen.

WolfnounUS /wʊlf/

any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs

From this reading PICKING UP CLUES The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed when he heard Lil Artha make this remark.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading "Every word that you are saying, Lil Artha, is the truth," he announced.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Every word that you are saying, Lil Artha, is the truth," he announced.

Chapter 8 of Afloat by Alan, Captain Douglas holds 114 sentences, grouped into 23 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 8 of Afloat contain?

Chapter 8 holds 114 sentences of Afloat, unabridged, divided into 23 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of Afloat by Alan, Captain Douglas exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 114 sentences, grouped into 23 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 Afloat?

Work through the 23 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 23 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 Afloat

Common questions about reading Afloat by Alan, Captain Douglas on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Afloat?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Afloat is used?

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

How long does Afloat take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Afloat section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 0 chapters of Afloat 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 Afloat

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

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Afloat, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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