Chapter 2 of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Terrible thing this cannibalism!" "Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten." "You are very brutal!" "You are very fat." "You look as if you would take my life."
Chapter 2 of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 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.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading “"You are very brutal!"”
the practice of eating the flesh of your own kind
From this reading “"Terrible thing this cannibalism!"”
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading “"Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."”
third-person singular of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading “"Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."”
inflected form of “eat” — take in solid food
From this reading “"Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."”
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading “"You are very fat."”
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading “"Terrible thing this cannibalism!"”
make an effort or attempt
From this reading “"Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."”
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.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "You are very brutal!"
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "You look as if you would take my life."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading "You are very brutal!"
the practice of eating the flesh of your own kind
From this reading "Terrible thing this cannibalism!"
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading "Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."
third-person singular of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading "Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."
inflected form of “eat” — take in solid food
From this reading "Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading "You are very fat."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "You look as if you would take my life."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading "You look as if you would take my life."
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading "You look as if you would take my life."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "You look as if you would take my life."
carry out
From this reading "You look as if you would take my life."
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading "Terrible thing this cannibalism!"
a special situation
From this reading "Terrible thing this cannibalism!"
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Terrible thing this cannibalism!"
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."
make an effort or attempt
From this reading "Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."
a formal word for “on”
From this reading "Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."
precisely as stated
From this reading "You are very brutal!"
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "You look as if you would take my life."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Depends upon which character you try it in; it is terrible to be eaten."
Chapter 2 of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull by Ambrose Bierce holds 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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 2 holds 409 sentences of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull by Ambrose Bierce exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 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 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.
Common questions about reading Cobwebs from an Empty Skull by Ambrose Bierce on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2914 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #12793 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #12793, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 242 minutes of reading across 583 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Cobwebs from an Empty Skull section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 7 chapters of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull 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 Cobwebs from an Empty Skull, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
