Chapter 7 of Best Russian Short Stories is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VII
Chapter 7 of Best Russian Short Stories is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Both were silent, and quiet reigned. But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation. "Why are you silent, good Socrates?" "My friend; didn't you yourself ask for silence?" "I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.
Chapter 7 of Best Russian Short Stories is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/85 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.”
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading “But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.”
feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
From this reading “"I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.”
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading “Both were silent, and quiet reigned.”
past form of “reign” — have sovereign power
From this reading “Both were silent, and quiet reigned.”
ancient Athenian philosopher; teacher of Plato and Xenophon (470-399 BC)
From this reading “"Why are you silent, good Socrates?"”
interact in a certain way
From this reading “"I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.”
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading “"I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.
anew
From this reading But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Both were silent, and quiet reigned.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Why are you silent, good Socrates?"
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "My friend; didn't you yourself ask for silence?"
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.
the two together, not just one
From this reading Both were silent, and quiet reigned.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.
in a considerate manner
From this reading "I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "My friend; didn't you yourself ask for silence?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "My friend; didn't you yourself ask for silence?"
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading "My friend; didn't you yourself ask for silence?"
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading "Why are you silent, good Socrates?"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.
the force of workers available
From this reading "I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "My friend; didn't you yourself ask for silence?"
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.
feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
From this reading "I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading Both were silent, and quiet reigned.
past form of “reign” — have sovereign power
From this reading Both were silent, and quiet reigned.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading "My friend; didn't you yourself ask for silence?"
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Both were silent, and quiet reigned.
ancient Athenian philosopher; teacher of Plato and Xenophon (470-399 BC)
From this reading "Why are you silent, good Socrates?"
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading "I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.
interact in a certain way
From this reading "I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Both were silent, and quiet reigned.
during the time that
From this reading But in a short while Elpidias was again the first to begin a conversation.
which person or people
From this reading "I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why are you silent, good Socrates?"
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading "I am not proud, and I can treat men who are worse than I am considerately.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Why are you silent, good Socrates?"
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading "My friend; didn't you yourself ask for silence?"
Chapter 7 of Best Russian Short Stories by Thomas [Editor] Seltzer holds 429 sentences, grouped into 86 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.
Chapter 7 holds 429 sentences of Best Russian Short Stories, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 7 of Best Russian Short Stories by Thomas [Editor] Seltzer exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 429 sentences, grouped into 86 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.
Work through the 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 86 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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.
Common questions about reading Best Russian Short Stories by Thomas [Editor] Seltzer on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6135 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13437 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #13437, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 511 minutes of reading across 1227 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Best Russian Short Stories section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 15 chapters of Best Russian Short Stories to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Best Russian Short Stories, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
