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Blackbeard
Blackbeard

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Blackbeard is here in full — 87 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Blackbeard
Context Illustration Reading 1/17 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_Description of Characters.
Sweet Ellen Armstrong.
Sudden appearance of the Piratical Brig.
The Earl's Request.
Blackbeard's Decision.
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.

Blackbeard

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Blackbeard is here in full — 87 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/17 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_Description of Characters.
/dɪˈskrɪpʃən ʌv ˈkærəktərz/
Line 2
Sweet Ellen Armstrong.
Line 3
Sudden appearance of the Piratical Brig.
Line 4
The Earl's Request.
/ðə ɜːrlz rɪˈkwest/
Line 5
Blackbeard's Decision.

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.

appearance noun US /əˈpɪrəns/

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading “Sudden appearance of the Piratical Brig.”

Armstrong noun US /ˈɑːrmstrɑːŋ/

United States astronaut; the first man to set foot on the Moon (July 20, 1969) (1930-)

From this reading “Sweet Ellen Armstrong.”

Brig noun US /brɪɡ/

two-masted sailing vessel square-rigged on both masts

From this reading “Sudden appearance of the Piratical Brig.”

Characters noun US /ˈkærəktərz/

plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)

From this reading “_Description of Characters.”

Decision noun US /dɪˈsɪʒən/

the act of making up your mind about something

From this reading “Blackbeard's Decision.”

Description noun US /dɪˈskrɪpʃən/

a statement that represents something in words

Earl's noun US /ɜːrlz/

possessive form of “earl” — a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount

From this reading “The Earl's Request.”

Request verb US /rɪˈkwest/

express the need or desire for

From this reading “The Earl's Request.”

All words in this reading · 15

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.

appearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading Sudden appearance of the Piratical Brig.

ArmstrongnounUS /ˈɑːrmstrɑːŋ/

United States astronaut; the first man to set foot on the Moon (July 20, 1969) (1930-)

From this reading Sweet Ellen Armstrong.

Blackbeard's

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

From this reading Blackbeard's Decision.

BrignounUS /brɪɡ/

two-masted sailing vessel square-rigged on both masts

From this reading Sudden appearance of the Piratical Brig.

CharactersnounUS /ˈkærəktərz/

plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)

From this reading _Description of Characters.

DecisionnounUS /dɪˈsɪʒən/

the act of making up your mind about something

From this reading Blackbeard's Decision.

DescriptionnounUS /dɪˈskrɪpʃən/

a statement that represents something in words

From this reading _Description of Characters.

Earl'snounUS /ɜːrlz/

possessive form of “earl” — a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount

From this reading The Earl's Request.

Ellen

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

From this reading Sweet Ellen Armstrong.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _Description of Characters.

Piraticaladjective

characteristic of pirates

From this reading Sudden appearance of the Piratical Brig.

RequestverbUS /rɪˈkwest/

express the need or desire for

From this reading The Earl's Request.

SuddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading Sudden appearance of the Piratical Brig.

SweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading Sweet Ellen Armstrong.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Sudden appearance of the Piratical Brig.

Chapter 2 of Blackbeard by B. (Benjamin) Barker holds 87 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.

What does chapter 2 of Blackbeard contain?

Chapter 2 holds 87 sentences of Blackbeard, unabridged, divided into 18 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Blackbeard by B. (Benjamin) Barker exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 87 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.

How do I study chapter 2 of Blackbeard?

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.

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 Blackbeard

Common questions about reading Blackbeard by B. (Benjamin) Barker on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Blackbeard?

Yes. All 659 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #17863 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Blackbeard is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #17863, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Blackbeard take to read?

About 54 minutes of reading across 132 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Blackbeard section by section

How to work through Blackbeard section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 7 chapters of Blackbeard 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 Blackbeard

Words and structures a reader meets early in Blackbeard, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Island
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Blackbeard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Trinidad
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Blackbeard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Landing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Blackbeard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Derwentwater
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Blackbeard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.