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Before Adam
Before Adam

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of Before Adam is here in full — 140 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Jack London • Curated US English Learning Edition

Chapter 13 of Before Adam by Jack London holds 140 sentences, grouped into 28 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 13 of Before Adam contain?

Chapter 13 holds 140 sentences of Before Adam, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of Before Adam by Jack London exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 140 sentences, grouped into 28 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 13 of Before Adam?

Work through the 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 28 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of Before Adam 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 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.
Cover illustration for Before Adam
Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.
What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.
The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.
We crept cautiously and silently from tree to tree till we got a good view of the scene.
In an open space among the trees, near to the river, the fire was burning.
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.

Before Adam

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of Before Adam is here in full — 140 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.
Line 2
What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.
Line 3
The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.
Line 4
We crept cautiously and silently from tree to tree till we got a good view of the scene.
Line 5
In an open space among the trees, near to the river, the fire was burning.

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.

Open verb US /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading “In an open space among the trees, near to the river, the fire was burning.”

Velmora curated lexicon
All words in this reading · 70

Every word is available to listen to. 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 What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
alarmed

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

From this reading The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.

Pending verification
among

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

From this reading In an open space among the trees, near to the river, the fire was burning.

Pending verification
an

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

From this reading In an open space among the trees, near to the river, the fire was burning.

Pending verification
and

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
at

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

From this reading The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.

Pending verification
attracted

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

From this reading The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.

Pending verification
band

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
bank

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
been

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
burning

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

From this reading In an open space among the trees, near to the river, the fire was burning.

Pending verification
but

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

From this reading The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.

Pending verification
by

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

From this reading The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.

Pending verification
camp

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
cautiously

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

From this reading We crept cautiously and silently from tree to tree till we got a good view of the scene.

Pending verification
come

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

From this reading The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.

Pending verification
crept

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

From this reading We crept cautiously and silently from tree to tree till we got a good view of the scene.

Pending verification
darkness

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

From this reading The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.

Pending verification
day

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
discovered

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
elected

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
far

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
Fire

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
first

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
for

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
from

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
good

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

From this reading We crept cautiously and silently from tree to tree till we got a good view of the scene.

Pending verification
got

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

From this reading We crept cautiously and silently from tree to tree till we got a good view of the scene.

Pending verification
had

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
have

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
hunters

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
I

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
in

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
into

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
It

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
later

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

From this reading The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.

Pending verification
Lop-Ear

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
must

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
near

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

From this reading In an open space among the trees, near to the river, the fire was burning.

Pending verification
night

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
not

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
of

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
on

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading In an open space among the trees, near to the river, the fire was burning.

Velmora curated lexicon
our

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
People

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
river

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
roost

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
scene

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

From this reading We crept cautiously and silently from tree to tree till we got a good view of the scene.

Pending verification
silently

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

From this reading We crept cautiously and silently from tree to tree till we got a good view of the scene.

Pending verification
south

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
space

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

From this reading In an open space among the trees, near to the river, the fire was burning.

Pending verification
that

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
the

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
till

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

From this reading We crept cautiously and silently from tree to tree till we got a good view of the scene.

Pending verification
to

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
tree

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
trees

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

From this reading In an open space among the trees, near to the river, the fire was burning.

Pending verification
until

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
us

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

From this reading The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.

Pending verification
view

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

From this reading We crept cautiously and silently from tree to tree till we got a good view of the scene.

Pending verification
voices

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

From this reading The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.

Pending verification
wandering

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
was

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
we

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

From this reading It was not until the night of our first day on the south bank of the river that we discovered the Fire People.

Pending verification
went

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
were

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

From this reading The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.

Pending verification
What

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification
when

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

From this reading The voices of the Fire People at first alarmed us, but later, when darkness had come, we were attracted by the fire.

Pending verification
which

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

From this reading What must have been a band of wandering hunters went into camp not far from the tree in which Lop-Ear and I had elected to roost for the night.

Pending verification