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Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New
Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New is here in full — 20 sentences across 4 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New
Context Illustration Reading 1/4 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
|The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.
He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.
Dionysius arose to the throne from the ranks, and used to call himself a self made man.
He was tyrannical, severe and selfish, as all self-made men are.
Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New is here in full — 20 sentences across 4 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/4 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
|The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.
Line 2
He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.
Line 3
Dionysius arose to the throne from the ranks, and used to call himself a self made man.
/ˌdaɪəˈnɪsiəs ərˈoʊz tuː ðə θroʊn frʌm ðə ræŋks ənd juːzd tuː kɔːl hɪmˈself ə self meɪd mæn/
Line 4
He was tyrannical, severe and selfish, as all self-made men are.
Line 5
Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves.

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.

Dionysius noun US /ˌdaɪəˈnɪsiəs/

the tyrant of Syracuse who fought the Carthaginians (430-367 BC)

From this reading “|The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.”

originated verb US /ərˈɪdʒəneɪtəd/

past form of “originate” — come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading “|The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.”

overwork verb US /ˌoʊvərˈwɜːrk/

use too much

From this reading “Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves.”

prerogative noun US /prɪˈrɑːɡətɪv/

a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group (especially a hereditary or official right)

From this reading “Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves.”

Syracuse noun US /ˈsɪrəkjuːz/

a city in central New York

From this reading “He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.”

tyrannical adjective US /tərˈænɪkəl/

marked by unjust severity or arbitrary behavior

From this reading “He was tyrannical, severe and selfish, as all self-made men are.”

Unitarian noun US /ˌjuːnəˈteriən/

adherent of Unitarianism

From this reading “He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.”

usurp verb US /ˌjuːˈsɜːrp/

seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession

From this reading “Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves.”

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.

thousand years noun + noun

In this reading “|The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.”

romantic story adjective + noun

In this reading “|The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.”

two thousand noun + noun

In this reading “|The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.”

in fact preposition + noun

in reality or actuality

In this reading “He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.”

reign of verb + particle

In this reading “|The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.”

All words in this reading · 85

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.

350

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

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

AlmightynounUS /ɔːlˈmaɪti/

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves.

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading He was tyrannical, severe and selfish, as all self-made men are.

aroseverbUS /ərˈoʊz/

inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading Dionysius arose to the throne from the ranks, and used to call himself a self made man.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

bnounUS /biː/

aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

cnounUS /siː/

a degree on the centigrade scale of temperature

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Dionysius arose to the throne from the ranks, and used to call himself a self made man.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

celebratedadjectiveUS /ˈseləbreɪtɪd/

widely known and esteemed

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

churchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

DamonnounUS /ˈdeɪmən/

the friend of Phintias who pledged his life that Phintias would return (4th century BC)

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

DionysiusnounUS /ˌdaɪəˈnɪsiəs/

the tyrant of Syracuse who fought the Carthaginians (430-367 BC)

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

EldernounUS /ˈeldər/

a person who is older than you are

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

else

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

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

factnounUS /fækt/

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Dionysius arose to the throne from the ranks, and used to call himself a self made man.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Dionysius arose to the throne from the ranks, and used to call himself a self made man.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

inclinationnounUS /ˌɪnkləˈneɪʃən/

an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

jokenounUS /dʒoʊk/

a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Dionysius arose to the throne from the ranks, and used to call himself a self made man.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

membernounUS /ˈmembər/

one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading He was tyrannical, severe and selfish, as all self-made men are.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

originatedverbUS /ərˈɪdʒəneɪtəd/

past form of “originate” — come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

overworkverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈwɜːrk/

use too much

From this reading Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves.

prerogativenounUS /prɪˈrɑːɡətɪv/

a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group (especially a hereditary or official right)

From this reading Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves.

proneadjectiveUS /proʊn/

having a tendency (to); often used in combination

From this reading Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves.

Pythiasnoun

friend of Damon

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

ranksnounUS /ræŋks/

plural of “rank” — a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another

From this reading Dionysius arose to the throne from the ranks, and used to call himself a self made man.

reignverbUS /reɪn/

have sovereign power

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

resignedverbUS /rɪˈzaɪnd/

past form of “resign” — leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

romanticadjectiveUS /roʊˈmæntɪk/

belonging to or characteristic of Romanticism or the Romantic Movement in the arts

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

selfnounUS /self/

your consciousness of your own identity

From this reading Dionysius arose to the throne from the ranks, and used to call himself a self made man.

self-madeadjective

having achieved success or recognition by your own efforts

From this reading He was tyrannical, severe and selfish, as all self-made men are.

selfishadjectiveUS /ˈselfɪʃ/

concerned chiefly or only with yourself and your advantage to the exclusion of others

From this reading He was tyrannical, severe and selfish, as all self-made men are.

Selfmade

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

From this reading Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves.

severeadjectiveUS /səˈvɪr/

intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality

From this reading He was tyrannical, severe and selfish, as all self-made men are.

songnounUS /sɔːŋ/

a short musical composition with words

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

storynounUS /ˈstɔːri/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

supposedadjectiveUS /səˈpoʊzd/

required or under orders

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

SyracusenounUS /ˈsɪrəkjuːz/

a city in central New York

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves.

thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/

the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

thronenounUS /θroʊn/

the chair of state for a monarch, bishop, etc.

From this reading Dionysius arose to the throne from the ranks, and used to call himself a self made man.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

tyrannicaladjectiveUS /tərˈænɪkəl/

marked by unjust severity or arbitrary behavior

From this reading He was tyrannical, severe and selfish, as all self-made men are.

UnitariannounUS /ˌjuːnəˈteriən/

adherent of Unitarianism

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

usedadjectiveUS /juːzd/

employed in accomplishing something

From this reading Dionysius arose to the throne from the ranks, and used to call himself a self made man.

usurpverbUS /ˌjuːˈsɜːrp/

seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession

From this reading Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves.

versenounUS /vɜːrs/

literature in metrical form

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

wickedest

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

From this reading He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading |The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c.

Chapter 2 of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New by Bill Nye holds 20 sentences, grouped into 4 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 2 of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New contain?

Chapter 2 holds 20 sentences of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New, unabridged, divided into 4 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New by Bill Nye exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 20 sentences, grouped into 4 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 2 of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New?

Work through the 4 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 4 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New

Common questions about reading Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New by Bill Nye on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New?

Yes. All 2584 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #51961 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #51961, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New take to read?

About 215 minutes of reading across 517 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New section by section

How to work through Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 5 chapters of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

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

Vocabulary met early in Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New

Words and structures a reader meets early in Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Illustrations
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Original
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sketches
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Photographs
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bill Nye's Chestnuts Old and New; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.