Chapter 4 of Black Jack is here in full — 86 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Black Jack is here in full — 86 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Vance's work was not by any means accomplished. Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it. He started out to find the gun. In fact, he already had it in mind. Twenty-four hours later he was in Craterville.
Chapter 4 of Black Jack is here in full — 86 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/17 · 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.
highly skilled
From this reading “Vance's work was not by any means accomplished.”
to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
From this reading “Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.”
involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm
From this reading “Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.”
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading “Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.”
hit with a missile from a weapon
From this reading “Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.”
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “He started out to find the gun.”
being four more than twenty
From this reading “Twenty-four hours later he was in Craterville.”
any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading “Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.”
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 Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
highly skilled
From this reading Vance's work was not by any means accomplished.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading In fact, he already had it in mind.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Vance's work was not by any means accomplished.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Vance's work was not by any means accomplished.
to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-four hours later he was in Craterville.
involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading In fact, he already had it in mind.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading He started out to find the gun.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In fact, he already had it in mind.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Twenty-four hours later he was in Craterville.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Twenty-four hours later he was in Craterville.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading Vance's work was not by any means accomplished.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading In fact, he already had it in mind.
not any; not one
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Vance's work was not by any means accomplished.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He started out to find the gun.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
on the contrary
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
hit with a missile from a weapon
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading He started out to find the gun.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
being four more than twenty
From this reading Twenty-four hours later he was in Craterville.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Vance's work was not by any means accomplished.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Vance's work was not by any means accomplished.
any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Rather, it might be said that he was in the position of a man with a dangerous charge for a gun and no weapon to shoot it.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Vance's work was not by any means accomplished.
Chapter 4 of Black Jack by Max Brand holds 86 sentences, grouped into 18 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 4 holds 86 sentences of Black Jack, unabridged, divided into 18 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Black Jack by Max Brand exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 86 sentences, grouped into 18 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 18 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 18 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 4 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 Black Jack by Max Brand on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6131 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9925 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #9925, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 510 minutes of reading across 1227 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Black Jack section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 37 chapters of Black Jack 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 Black Jack, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
