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Before Adam

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of Before Adam is here in full — 105 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Jack London • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for Before Adam

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

It is by the medium of my dreams that I, the modern man, look through the eyes of Big-Tooth and see.

And so it is with much that I narrate of the events of that far-off time.

There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers.

I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

Narrator

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.

Chapter XI Reading 1/21

Before Adam Jack London

Cover illustration for Before Adam

Chapter XI

Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of Before Adam is here in full — 105 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor. It is by the medium of my dreams that I, the modern man, look through the eyes of Big-Tooth and see. And so it is with much that I narrate of the events of that far-off time. There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers. I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

Before Adam

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of Before Adam is here in full — 105 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

Line 2

It is by the medium of my dreams that I, the modern man, look through the eyes of Big-Tooth and see.

Line 3

And so it is with much that I narrate of the events of that far-off time.

Line 4

There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers.

Line 5

I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

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 There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers.

about

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

From this reading There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers.

ancestor

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

and

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

From this reading It is by the medium of my dreams that I, the modern man, look through the eyes of Big-Tooth and see.

be

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

been

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

Big-Tooth

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

by

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

confusing

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

From this reading There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers.

description

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

dreams

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

duality

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

From this reading There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers.

events

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

From this reading And so it is with much that I narrate of the events of that far-off time.

eyes

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

From this reading It is by the medium of my dreams that I, the modern man, look through the eyes of Big-Tooth and see.

far-off

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

From this reading And so it is with much that I narrate of the events of that far-off time.

given

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

have

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

here

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

From this reading I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

I

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

impressions

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

From this reading There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers.

in

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

From this reading I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

indicate

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

From this reading I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

inflict

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

From this reading There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers.

is

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

It

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

just

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

look

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

From this reading It is by the medium of my dreams that I, the modern man, look through the eyes of Big-Tooth and see.

man

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

From this reading It is by the medium of my dreams that I, the modern man, look through the eyes of Big-Tooth and see.

medium

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

From this reading It is by the medium of my dreams that I, the modern man, look through the eyes of Big-Tooth and see.

merely

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

From this reading I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

mixing

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

From this reading I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

modern

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

From this reading It is by the medium of my dreams that I, the modern man, look through the eyes of Big-Tooth and see.

much

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

From this reading And so it is with much that I narrate of the events of that far-off time.

must

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

my

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

narrate

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

From this reading And so it is with much that I narrate of the events of that far-off time.

narrative

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

From this reading I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

not

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

of

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

One

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

other

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

pause

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

From this reading I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

perplexing

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

From this reading I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

personality

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

From this reading I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

prehistoric

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

readers

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

From this reading There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers.

remembered

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

see

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

From this reading It is by the medium of my dreams that I, the modern man, look through the eyes of Big-Tooth and see.

self

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

shall

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

From this reading I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

so

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

From this reading And so it is with much that I narrate of the events of that far-off time.

Swift

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

that

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

the

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

There

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

From this reading There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers.

this

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

From this reading I shall merely pause here in my narrative to indicate this duality, this perplexing mixing of personality.

through

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

From this reading It is by the medium of my dreams that I, the modern man, look through the eyes of Big-Tooth and see.

time

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

From this reading And so it is with much that I narrate of the events of that far-off time.

to

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

From this reading There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers.

too

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

From this reading There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers.

upon

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

From this reading There is a duality about my impressions that is too confusing to inflict upon my readers.

with

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

From this reading And so it is with much that I narrate of the events of that far-off time.

would

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

From this reading It must be remembered that the description I have just given of the Swift One is not the description that would have been given by Big-Tooth, my other self of my dreams, my prehistoric ancestor.

Chapter 11 of Before Adam by Jack London holds 105 sentences, grouped into 21 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 11 of Before Adam contain?

Chapter 11 holds 105 sentences of Before Adam, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 11 of Before Adam by Jack London exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 105 sentences, grouped into 21 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 Before Adam?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 Before Adam

Common questions about reading Before Adam by Jack London on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Before Adam?

Yes. All 2488 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #310 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Before Adam is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #310, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Before Adam take to read?

About 207 minutes of reading across 498 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Before Adam section by section

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

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 18 chapters of Before Adam to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Before Adam

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

Pictures: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Before Adam; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Often: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Before Adam; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Learned: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Before Adam; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wonder: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Before Adam; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.