Drome

Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of Drome is here in full — 259 sentences across 52 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By John Martin Leahy • Curated US English Learning Edition

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

We were now about as high above the sea as the snout of the Nisqually Glacier.

But what was our direction from the Tamahnowis Rocks?

So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

Narrator

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LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter XVI Reading 1/51

Drome John Martin Leahy

Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of Drome is here in full — 259 sentences across 52 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

LIKE BALEFUL EYES According to the aneroid, this great chamber is about four thousand feet above the level of the sea; in other words, we had already made a vertical descent of some four thousand feet. We were now about as high above the sea as the snout of the Nisqually Glacier. But what was our direction from the Tamahnowis Rocks? So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat. It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

Drome

Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of Drome is here in full — 259 sentences across 52 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/51 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

Line 2

We were now about as high above the sea as the snout of the Nisqually Glacier.

Line 3

But what was our direction from the Tamahnowis Rocks?

Line 4

So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

/soʊ ˈsɪnwəs hæd bɪn ðɪs streɪndʒ ˌsʌb.təˈreɪ.ni.ən ˈɡæləri maɪ ˌɔːrienˈteɪʃən hæd bɪn nɑːkt ˈɪntuː ə kɑːkt hæt/

Line 5

It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

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.

baleful adjective US /ˈbeɪlfəl/

deadly or sinister

From this reading “LIKE BALEFUL EYES According to the aneroid, this great chamber is about four thousand feet above the level of the sea; in other words, we had already made a vertical descent of some four thousand feet.”

Glacier noun US /ˈɡleɪʃər/

a slowly moving mass of ice

From this reading “We were now about as high above the sea as the snout of the Nisqually Glacier.”

northerly adjective US /ˈnɔːrðərli/

situated in or oriented toward the north

From this reading “It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.”

orientation noun US /ˌɔːrienˈteɪʃən/

the act of orienting

From this reading “So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.”

sinuous adjective US /ˈsɪnwəs/

curved or curving in and out

From this reading “So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.”

snout noun US /snaʊt/

a long projecting or anterior elongation of an animal's head; especially the nose

From this reading “We were now about as high above the sea as the snout of the Nisqually Glacier.”

subterranean adjective US /ˌsʌb.təˈreɪ.ni.ən/

Existing, occurring, or done under the earth's surface.

From this reading “So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.”

vertical adjective US /ˈvɜːrtɪkəl/

at right angles to the plane of the horizon or a base line

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

cocked hat verb + noun counted as “cock hat”

In this reading “So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.”

above the level preposition + article + noun counted as “above … level”

In this reading “LIKE BALEFUL EYES According to the aneroid, this great chamber is about four thousand feet above the level of the sea; in other words, we had already made a vertical descent of some four thousand feet.”

four thousand noun + noun

thousand feet noun + noun counted as “thousand foot”

above the sea preposition + article + noun counted as “above … sea”

In this reading “We were now about as high above the sea as the snout of the Nisqually Glacier.”

about four preposition + noun

other words adjective + noun

already made adverb + adjective

All words in this reading · 70

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading LIKE BALEFUL EYES According to the aneroid, this great chamber is about four thousand feet above the level of the sea; in other words, we had already made a vertical descent of some four thousand feet.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

AccordingadjectiveUS /əˈkɔːrdɪŋ/

(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

aneroidnoun

a barometer that measures pressure without using fluids

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading We were now about as high above the sea as the snout of the Nisqually Glacier.

BALEFULadjectiveUS /ˈbeɪlfəl/

deadly or sinister

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

beliefnounUS /bɪˈliːf/

any cognitive content held as true

From this reading It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But what was our direction from the Tamahnowis Rocks?

chambernounUS /ˈtʃeɪmbər/

a natural or artificial enclosed space

cockedverbUS /kɑːkt/

past form of “cock” — tilt or slant to one side

From this reading So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

descentnounUS /dɪˈsent/

An action of moving downward, dropping, or falling into a deeper place.

directionnounUS /dərˈekʃən/

a line leading to a place or point

From this reading But what was our direction from the Tamahnowis Rocks?

Emmons

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

From this reading It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

EYESnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

fournounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading But what was our direction from the Tamahnowis Rocks?

gallerynounUS /ˈɡæləri/

spectators at a golf or tennis match

From this reading So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

GlaciernounUS /ˈɡleɪʃər/

a slowly moving mass of ice

From this reading We were now about as high above the sea as the snout of the Nisqually Glacier.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

hatnounUS /hæt/

headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim

From this reading So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading We were now about as high above the sea as the snout of the Nisqually Glacier.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

knockedverbUS /nɑːkt/

past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push

From this reading So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

levelnounUS /ˈlevəl/

a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

LIKEverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

Milton's

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

From this reading It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

movingadjectiveUS /ˈmuːvɪŋ/

in motion

From this reading It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

Nisqually

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

From this reading We were now about as high above the sea as the snout of the Nisqually Glacier.

northerlyadjectiveUS /ˈnɔːrðərli/

situated in or oriented toward the north

From this reading It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading We were now about as high above the sea as the snout of the Nisqually Glacier.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

orientationnounUS /ˌɔːrienˈteɪʃən/

the act of orienting

From this reading So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading But what was our direction from the Tamahnowis Rocks?

peaknounUS /piːk/

the most extreme possible amount or value

From this reading It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

probablyadverbUS /ˈprɑːbəbliː/

with considerable certainty; without much doubt

From this reading It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

RocksnounUS /rɑːks/

plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading But what was our direction from the Tamahnowis Rocks?

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

sinuousadjectiveUS /ˈsɪnwəs/

curved or curving in and out

From this reading So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

snoutnounUS /snaʊt/

a long projecting or anterior elongation of an animal's head; especially the nose

From this reading We were now about as high above the sea as the snout of the Nisqually Glacier.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

subterraneanadjectiveUS /ˌsʌb.təˈreɪ.ni.ən/

Existing, occurring, or done under the earth's surface.

From this reading So sinuous had been this strange subterranean gallery, my orientation had been knocked into a cocked hat.

Tamahnowis

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

From this reading But what was our direction from the Tamahnowis Rocks?

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/

the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading It was Milton's belief, however, that we had been moving in a northerly direction, that we were still under the peak itself, probably under the great Emmons Glacier.

verticaladjectiveUS /ˈvɜːrtɪkəl/

at right angles to the plane of the horizon or a base line

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading But what was our direction from the Tamahnowis Rocks?

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading We were now about as high above the sea as the snout of the Nisqually Glacier.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading But what was our direction from the Tamahnowis Rocks?

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

Chapter 16 of Drome by John Martin Leahy holds 259 sentences, grouped into 52 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 16 of Drome contain?

Chapter 16 holds 259 sentences of Drome, unabridged, divided into 52 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of Drome by John Martin Leahy exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 259 sentences, grouped into 52 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 16 of Drome?

Work through the 52 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 52 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Drome

Common questions about reading Drome by John Martin Leahy on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Drome?

Yes. All 4729 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #71716 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Drome is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #71716, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Drome take to read?

About 394 minutes of reading across 946 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Drome

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

Manufactured: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Drome; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Descent: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Drome; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Region: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Drome; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Josephus: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Drome; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter XVI

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