Chapter XI
Chapter 11 of Back to Life is here in full — 422 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“What does that mean?” I asked. “Nothing,” he answered. “We used to talk like that. I’m trying to grope back.”
Back to Life
Chapter XI
Chapter 11 of Back to Life is here in full — 422 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
“What
does
that
mean?”
I
asked.
“Nothing,”
he
answered.
“We
used
to
talk
like
that.
I’m
trying
to
grope
back.”
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Back to Life
Chapter XI
Chapter 11 of Back to Life is here in full — 422 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
Line 1
“What
does
that
mean?”
/wʌt dʌz ðæt miːn/
Line 2
I
asked.
/aɪ æskt/
Line 3
“Nothing,”
he
answered.
/ˈnʌθɪŋ hiː ˈænsərd/
Line 4
“We
used
to
talk
like
that.
/wiː juːzd tuː tɔːk laɪk ðæt/
Line 5
I’m
trying
to
grope
back.”
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.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading ““Nothing,” he answered.”
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “I asked.”
grope
verb
US /ɡroʊp/
feel about uncertainly or blindly
From this reading “I’m trying to grope back.””
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading ““What does that mean?””
not one thing; not anything
From this reading ““Nothing,” he answered.”
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading ““We used to talk like that.”
hard to endure
From this reading “I’m trying to grope back.””
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading ““We used to talk like that.”
Word partnerships in these lines
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
All words in this reading · 18
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.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading “Nothing,” he answered.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading I asked.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading I’m trying to grope back.”
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “What does that mean?”
gropeverbUS /ɡroʊp/
feel about uncertainly or blindly
From this reading I’m trying to grope back.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Nothing,” he answered.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I asked.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’m trying to grope back.”
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “We used to talk like that.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading “What does that mean?”
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “Nothing,” he answered.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading “We used to talk like that.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “What does that mean?”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “We used to talk like that.
hard to endure
From this reading I’m trying to grope back.”
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading “We used to talk like that.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “We used to talk like that.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What does that mean?”
Chapter 11 of Back to Life by Philip Gibbs holds 422 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 11 of Back to Life contain?
Chapter 11 holds 422 sentences of Back to Life, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 11 of Back to Life by Philip Gibbs exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 422 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 11 of Back to Life?
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 11 be read aloud to me?
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 11 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 Back to Life
Common questions about reading Back to Life by Philip Gibbs on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Is this the complete text of Back to Life?
Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Which edition of Back to Life is used?
Project Gutenberg eBook #?, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
How long does Back to Life take to read?
About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to read Back to Life section by section
How to work through Back to Life section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
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Open a chapter
Choose one of the 0 chapters of Back to Life to begin.
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Read one section
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
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Listen and tap
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Vocabulary met early in Back to Life
Words and structures a reader meets early in Back to Life, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
- Chapter 1
- One of the 0 chapters of Back to Life, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
- Chapter 2
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- Chapter 3
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