Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Arachne — Complete
Arachne — Complete

Chapter XXV · Chapter 25

Chapter 25 of Arachne — Complete is here in full — 152 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Arachne — Complete
Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.
No one stopped them.
The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.
The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!
Not a sound, if you value your lives!"
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.

Arachne — Complete

Chapter XXV · Chapter 25

Chapter 25 of Arachne — Complete is here in full — 152 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.
Line 2
No one stopped them.
/noʊ wʌn stɑːpt ðem/
Line 3
The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.
/ðə ˈeɪtriəm ˈjuːʒəwəli ˈswɔːrmɪŋ wɪð ɡɑːrdz ˈsɜːrvənts ənd əˈfɪʃəlz ənˈtɪl ə fɑːr ˈleɪtər ˈaʊər wɑːz kəmˈpliːtli dɪˈzɜːrtɪd wen ðə blaɪnd mæn ˈhɜːrid θruː ɪt wɪð hɪz frend/
Line 4
The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!
Line 5
Not a sound, if you value your lives!"
/nɑːt ə saʊnd ɪf juː ˈvæljuː jɔːr lɪvz/

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.

atrium noun US /ˈeɪtriəm/

any chamber that is connected to other chambers or passageways (especially one of the two upper chambers of the heart)

From this reading “The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.”

encircled adjective US /ɪnˈsɜːrkəld/

confined on all sides

From this reading “The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!”

Macedonian noun US /ˌmæsəˈdoʊnjən/

a native or inhabitant of Macedon

From this reading “The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!”

officials noun US /əˈfɪʃəlz/

plural of “official” — a worker who holds or is invested with an office

From this reading “The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.”

ornamental noun US /ˌɔːrnəˈmentəl/

any plant grown for its beauty or ornamental value

From this reading “The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!”

plants noun US /plænts/

plural of “plant” — buildings for carrying on industrial labor

From this reading “The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!”

scholar's noun US /ˈskɑːlərz/

possessive form of “scholar” — a learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines

From this reading “The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!”

swarming verb US /ˈswɔːrmɪŋ/

-ing form of “swarm” — be teeming, be abuzz

From this reading “The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.”

All words in this reading · 89

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 Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

armnounUS /ɑːrm/

a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

armedadjectiveUS /ɑːrmd/

(used of persons or the military) characterized by having or bearing arms

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

atriumnounUS /ˈeɪtriəm/

any chamber that is connected to other chambers or passageways (especially one of the two upper chambers of the heart)

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

bandnounUS /bænd/

an unofficial association of people or groups

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

blindnounUS /blaɪnd/

people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

breathlessadjectiveUS /ˈbreθləs/

not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty

From this reading Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

commandernounUS /kəˈmændər/

an officer in command of a military unit

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

completelyadverbUS /kəmˈpliːtli/

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

courtyardnounUS /ˈkɔːrt.jɑːrd/

An unroofed area that is completely or partially enclosed by the walls of a house.

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

crossedadjectiveUS /krɔːst/

placed crosswise

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

desertedadjectiveUS /dɪˈzɜːrtɪd/

forsaken by owner or inhabitants

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

draggedverbUS /dræɡd/

inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance

From this reading Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.

encircledadjectiveUS /ɪnˈsɜːrkəld/

confined on all sides

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

enteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

exclaimedverbUS /ɪkˈskleɪmd/

past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

explanationnounUS /ˌekspləˈneɪʃən/

a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.

From this reading Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

guardsnounUS /ɡɑːrdz/

plural of “guard” — a person who keeps watch over something or someone

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

guidenounUS /ɡaɪd/

someone employed to conduct others

From this reading Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

hastenounUS /heɪst/

overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)

From this reading Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.

Hermon

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

From this reading Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

hurriedadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːrid/

moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Not a sound, if you value your lives!"

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

KingnounUS /kɪŋ/

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

leadingadjectiveUS /ˈliːdɪŋ/

indicating the most important performer or role

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

leaningadjectiveUS /ˈliːnɪŋ/

departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

livesnounUS /lɪvz/

plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Not a sound, if you value your lives!"

MacedoniannounUS /ˌmæsəˈdoʊnjən/

a native or inhabitant of Macedon

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No one stopped them.

NotadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Not a sound, if you value your lives!"

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.

officialsnounUS /əˈfɪʃəlz/

plural of “official” — a worker who holds or is invested with an office

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading No one stopped them.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

ornamentalnounUS /ˌɔːrnəˈmentəl/

any plant grown for its beauty or ornamental value

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/

being on the outside or further from a center

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

palacenounUS /ˈpæləs/

a large and stately mansion

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

plantsnounUS /plænts/

plural of “plant” — buildings for carrying on industrial labor

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

portionnounUS /ˈpɔːrʃən/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

scarcelyadverbUS /ˈskersli/

only a very short time before

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

scholar'snounUS /ˈskɑːlərz/

possessive form of “scholar” — a learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

separatedadjectiveUS /ˈsepəreɪtɪd/

being or feeling set or kept apart from others

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

servantsnounUS /ˈsɜːrvənts/

plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

soldiersnounUS /ˈsoʊldʒərz/

plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading Not a sound, if you value your lives!"

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading No one stopped them.

streetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

surroundedadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪd/

confined on all sides

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

swarmingverbUS /ˈswɔːrmɪŋ/

-ing form of “swarm” — be teeming, be abuzz

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading No one stopped them.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

thresholdnounUS /ˈθreʃoʊld/

the starting point for a new state or experience

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

usuallyadverbUS /ˈjuːʒəwəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

valuenounUS /ˈvæljuː/

a numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed

From this reading Not a sound, if you value your lives!"

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading The door leading into the outer air stood open, but Hermon, leaning on the scholar's arm, had scarcely crossed the threshold and entered the little courtyard encircled with ornamental plants, which separated this portion of the palace from the street, when both were surrounded by a band of armed Macedonian soldiers, whose commander exclaimed: "In the name of the King!

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The atrium, usually swarming with guards, servants, and officials until a far later hour, was completely deserted when the blind man hurried through it with his friend.

WithoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading Without a word of explanation, Hermon dragged his guide along in breathless haste.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Not a sound, if you value your lives!"

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Not a sound, if you value your lives!"

Chapter 25 of Arachne — Complete by Georg Ebers holds 152 sentences, grouped into 31 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 25 of Arachne — Complete contain?

Chapter 25 holds 152 sentences of Arachne — Complete, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 25 of Arachne — Complete by Georg Ebers exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 152 sentences, grouped into 31 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 25 of Arachne — Complete?

Work through the 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 31 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 25 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 25 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 Arachne — Complete

Common questions about reading Arachne — Complete by Georg Ebers on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Arachne — Complete?

Yes. All 4780 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5516 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Arachne — Complete is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #5516, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Arachne — Complete take to read?

About 398 minutes of reading across 956 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Arachne — Complete section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 34 chapters of Arachne — Complete 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 Arachne — Complete

Words and structures a reader meets early in Arachne — Complete, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Silence
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Arachne — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Brooded
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Arachne — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Water
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Arachne — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Green
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Arachne — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.