Chapter 4 of Creatures of the Abyss is here in full — 417 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Creatures of the Abyss is here in full — 417 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"What are those?" asked Terry. "Cameras," said Deirdre. "Mounted on rifle stocks, with flashbulbs in the reflectors. You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off. So you get a picture of whatever you aim at, night or day."
Chapter 4 of Creatures of the Abyss is here in full — 417 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/83 · 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.
plural of “camera” — equipment for taking photographs (usually consisting of a lightproof box with a lens at one end and light-sensitive film at the other)
From this reading “"Cameras," said Deirdre.”
a lamp for providing momentary light to take a photograph
From this reading “You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.”
plural of “flashbulb” — a lamp for providing momentary light to take a photograph
From this reading “"Mounted on rifle stocks, with flashbulbs in the reflectors.”
plural of “reflector” — device that reflects radiation
From this reading “"Mounted on rifle stocks, with flashbulbs in the reflectors.”
a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure
From this reading “You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.”
a frame that supports a boat while it is under construction
From this reading “"Mounted on rifle stocks, with flashbulbs in the reflectors.”
English actress (1847-1928)
From this reading “"What are those?" asked Terry.”
put in motion or move to act
From this reading “You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.”
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.
In this reading “So you get a picture of whatever you aim at, night or day."”
run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along
In this reading “You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.”
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 So you get a picture of whatever you aim at, night or day."
point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards
From this reading You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "What are those?" asked Terry.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "What are those?" asked Terry.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading So you get a picture of whatever you aim at, night or day."
plural of “camera” — equipment for taking photographs (usually consisting of a lightproof box with a lens at one end and light-sensitive film at the other)
From this reading "Cameras," said Deirdre.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading So you get a picture of whatever you aim at, night or day."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Cameras," said Deirdre.
a lamp for providing momentary light to take a photograph
From this reading You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.
plural of “flashbulb” — a lamp for providing momentary light to take a photograph
From this reading "Mounted on rifle stocks, with flashbulbs in the reflectors.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading So you get a picture of whatever you aim at, night or day."
plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
From this reading You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Mounted on rifle stocks, with flashbulbs in the reflectors.
assembled for use; especially by being attached to a support
From this reading "Mounted on rifle stocks, with flashbulbs in the reflectors.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading So you get a picture of whatever you aim at, night or day."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading So you get a picture of whatever you aim at, night or day."
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Mounted on rifle stocks, with flashbulbs in the reflectors.
plural of “open” — a clear or unobstructed space or expanse of land or water
From this reading You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading So you get a picture of whatever you aim at, night or day."
a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading So you get a picture of whatever you aim at, night or day."
cause to move by pulling
From this reading You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.
plural of “reflector” — device that reflects radiation
From this reading "Mounted on rifle stocks, with flashbulbs in the reflectors.
steal goods; take as spoils
From this reading "Mounted on rifle stocks, with flashbulbs in the reflectors.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Cameras," said Deirdre.
a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure
From this reading You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So you get a picture of whatever you aim at, night or day."
a frame that supports a boat while it is under construction
From this reading "Mounted on rifle stocks, with flashbulbs in the reflectors.
English actress (1847-1928)
From this reading "What are those?" asked Terry.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Mounted on rifle stocks, with flashbulbs in the reflectors.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading "What are those?" asked Terry.
put in motion or move to act
From this reading You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What are those?" asked Terry.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading So you get a picture of whatever you aim at, night or day."
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Mounted on rifle stocks, with flashbulbs in the reflectors.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You aim, pull the trigger, and the shutter opens as the flashbulb goes off.
Chapter 4 of Creatures of the Abyss by Murray Leinster holds 417 sentences, grouped into 84 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 417 sentences of Creatures of the Abyss, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Creatures of the Abyss by Murray Leinster exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 417 sentences, grouped into 84 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 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 84 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 Creatures of the Abyss by Murray Leinster on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4563 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #42901 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #42901, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 380 minutes of reading across 913 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Creatures of the Abyss section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 11 chapters of Creatures of the Abyss 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 Creatures of the Abyss, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
