Chapter 8 of Dikes and Ditches is here in full — 213 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of Dikes and Ditches is here in full — 213 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
ANTWERP AND RUBENS. "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay. "I don't know, sir; I think I shall be interested wherever we go. This is a big city--isn't it?" "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
Chapter 8 of Dikes and Ditches is here in full — 213 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/42 · 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.
a busy port and financial center in northern Belgium on the Scheldt river; it has long been a center for the diamond industry and the first stock exchange was opened there in 1460
From this reading “ANTWERP AND RUBENS.”
owning or consisting of land or real estate
From this reading “"Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.”
United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading “"Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.”
the people who inhabit a territory or state
From this reading “"Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.”
an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment
From this reading “"Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.”
wharf usually built parallel to the shoreline
From this reading “"Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.”
prolific Flemish baroque painter; knighted by the English king Charles I (1577-1640)
From this reading “ANTWERP AND RUBENS.”
in or to any place at all
From this reading “"I don't know, sir; I think I shall be interested wherever we go.”
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 This is a big city--isn't it?"
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ANTWERP AND RUBENS.
a busy port and financial center in northern Belgium on the Scheldt river; it has long been a center for the diamond industry and the first stock exchange was opened there in 1460
From this reading ANTWERP AND RUBENS.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "I don't know, sir; I think I shall be interested wherever we go.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading This is a big city--isn't it?"
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading This is a big city--isn't it?"
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I don't know, sir; I think I shall be interested wherever we go.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
highest in quality
From this reading "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
only a very short time before
From this reading "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I don't know, sir; I think I shall be interested wherever we go.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
having or showing interest; especially curiosity or fascination or concern
From this reading "I don't know, sir; I think I shall be interested wherever we go.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This is a big city--isn't it?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This is a big city--isn't it?"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading This is a big city--isn't it?"
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "I don't know, sir; I think I shall be interested wherever we go.
owning or consisting of land or real estate
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
the people who inhabit a territory or state
From this reading "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment
From this reading "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
wharf usually built parallel to the shoreline
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
prolific Flemish baroque painter; knighted by the English king Charles I (1577-1640)
From this reading ANTWERP AND RUBENS.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
term of address for a man
From this reading "I don't know, sir; I think I shall be interested wherever we go.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I don't know, sir; I think I shall be interested wherever we go.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This is a big city--isn't it?"
a formal word for “on”
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of its greatest prosperity.
at the time that
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
in or at the place that
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
in or to any place at all
From this reading "I don't know, sir; I think I shall be interested wherever we go.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed upon the quay.
Chapter 8 of Dikes and Ditches by Oliver Optic holds 213 sentences, grouped into 43 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 213 sentences of Dikes and Ditches, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of Dikes and Ditches by Oliver Optic exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 213 sentences, grouped into 43 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 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 43 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 Dikes and Ditches by Oliver Optic on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4647 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #25485 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #25485, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 387 minutes of reading across 930 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Dikes and Ditches section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 20 chapters of Dikes and Ditches 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 Dikes and Ditches, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
