Chapter 8 of Bird of Paradise is here in full — 250 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of Bird of Paradise is here in full — 250 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
PERCY "I've had such a lovely letter from Rupert, Bertha. I'm so excited, I can't read it almost!" Bertha held out her hand. Madeline was looking agitated. "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
Chapter 8 of Bird of Paradise is here in full — 250 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/50 · 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.
troubled emotionally and usually deeply
From this reading “Madeline was looking agitated.”
the table in Christian churches where communion is given
From this reading “"He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!”
To consume or be consumed by fire.
From this reading “"He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!”
in a close relation or position in time or space
From this reading “"He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!”
United States writer whose novels explored human alienation (1916-1990)
From this reading “PERCY "I've had such a lovely letter from Rupert, Bertha.”
English leader (born in Germany) of the Royalist forces during the English Civil War (1619-1682)
From this reading “PERCY "I've had such a lovely letter from Rupert, Bertha.”
aromatic substances of vegetable origin used as a preservative
From this reading “"He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!”
plural of “wish” — a specific feeling of desire
From this reading “"He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!”
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 PERCY "I've had such a lovely letter from Rupert, Bertha.
troubled emotionally and usually deeply
From this reading Madeline was looking agitated.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading I'm so excited, I can't read it almost!"
the table in Christian churches where communion is given
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PERCY "I've had such a lovely letter from Rupert, Bertha.
To consume or be consumed by fire.
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'm so excited, I can't read it almost!"
in a close relation or position in time or space
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
(of persons) excessively affected by emotion
From this reading I'm so excited, I can't read it almost!"
the state of being friends (or friendly)
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading PERCY "I've had such a lovely letter from Rupert, Bertha.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading PERCY "I've had such a lovely letter from Rupert, Bertha.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Bertha held out her hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Bertha held out her hand.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Bertha held out her hand.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I'm so excited, I can't read it almost!"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'm so excited, I can't read it almost!"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PERCY "I've had such a lovely letter from Rupert, Bertha.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I'm so excited, I can't read it almost!"
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading PERCY "I've had such a lovely letter from Rupert, Bertha.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Madeline was looking agitated.
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading PERCY "I've had such a lovely letter from Rupert, Bertha.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Madeline was looking agitated.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Bertha held out her hand.
United States writer whose novels explored human alienation (1916-1990)
From this reading PERCY "I've had such a lovely letter from Rupert, Bertha.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading I'm so excited, I can't read it almost!"
English leader (born in Germany) of the Royalist forces during the English Civil War (1619-1682)
From this reading PERCY "I've had such a lovely letter from Rupert, Bertha.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I'm so excited, I can't read it almost!"
aromatic substances of vegetable origin used as a preservative
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading PERCY "I've had such a lovely letter from Rupert, Bertha.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Madeline was looking agitated.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
plural of “wish” — a specific feeling of desire
From this reading "He says," said Madeline, looking closely at the letter in her short-sighted way, "that he wishes he could burn me like spice on the altar of a life-long friendship!
Chapter 8 of Bird of Paradise by Ada Leverson holds 250 sentences, grouped into 50 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 8 holds 250 sentences of Bird of Paradise, unabridged, divided into 50 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of Bird of Paradise by Ada Leverson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 250 sentences, grouped into 50 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 50 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 50 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 8 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 Bird of Paradise by Ada Leverson on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4517 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #27323 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #27323, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 376 minutes of reading across 904 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Bird of Paradise section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 36 chapters of Bird of Paradise 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 Bird of Paradise, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
