Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Earth needs a killer
Earth needs a killer

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Earth needs a killer is here in full — 532 sentences across 107 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Earth needs a killer
Context Illustration Reading 1/106 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_You are the man we need, Ray Berton.
You're a killer, but you're sane and rational.
Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.
We have power, but we can't use it for destruction, no matter how great the need.
But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...
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.

Earth needs a killer

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Earth needs a killer is here in full — 532 sentences across 107 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/106 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_You are the man we need, Ray Berton.
Line 2
You're a killer, but you're sane and rational.
Line 3
Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.
Line 4
We have power, but we can't use it for destruction, no matter how great the need.
Line 5
But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

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.

insane adjective US /ˌɪnˈseɪn/

afflicted with or characteristic of mental derangement

From this reading “Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.”

International adjective US /ˌɪntərˈnæʃənəl/

concerning or belonging to all or at least two or more nations

From this reading “But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...”

irrational adjective US /ˌɪˈræʃənəl/

not consistent with or using reason

From this reading “Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.”

killer noun US /ˈkɪlər/

someone who causes the death of a person or animal

From this reading “You're a killer, but you're sane and rational.”

rational adjective US /ˈræʃ.ən.əl/

Based on or in accordance with reason or logic rather than turbulent emotions.

From this reading “You're a killer, but you're sane and rational.”

Reporter noun US /rɪˈpɔːrtər/

a person who investigates and reports or edits news stories

From this reading “But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...”

sane adjective US /seɪn/

mentally healthy; free from mental disorder

From this reading “You're a killer, but you're sane and rational.”

September noun US /sepˈtembər/

the month following August and preceding October

From this reading “But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...”

All words in this reading · 58

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.

1983

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

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

8

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

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading You're a killer, but you're sane and rational.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading You're a killer, but you're sane and rational.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading _You are the man we need, Ray Berton.

Berton

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

From this reading _You are the man we need, Ray Berton.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading You're a killer, but you're sane and rational.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

can't

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

From this reading We have power, but we can't use it for destruction, no matter how great the need.

CitynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

destroyverbUS /dɪˈstrɔɪ/

do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of

From this reading Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.

destructionnounUS /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/

the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists

From this reading We have power, but we can't use it for destruction, no matter how great the need.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

fightingnounUS /ˈfaɪtɪŋ/

the act of fighting; any contest or struggle

From this reading Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading We have power, but we can't use it for destruction, no matter how great the need.

FromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading We have power, but we can't use it for destruction, no matter how great the need.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading We have power, but we can't use it for destruction, no matter how great the need.

how

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

From this reading We have power, but we can't use it for destruction, no matter how great the need.

humanitynounUS /hjuːˈmænɪti/

the quality of being humane

From this reading Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.

InformationnounUS /ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/

a message received and understood

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

insaneadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈseɪn/

afflicted with or characteristic of mental derangement

From this reading Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.

InternationaladjectiveUS /ˌɪntərˈnæʃənəl/

concerning or belonging to all or at least two or more nations

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

irrationaladjectiveUS /ˌɪˈræʃənəl/

not consistent with or using reason

From this reading Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading We have power, but we can't use it for destruction, no matter how great the need.

it's

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

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

killernounUS /ˈkɪlər/

someone who causes the death of a person or animal

From this reading You're a killer, but you're sane and rational.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading _You are the man we need, Ray Berton.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading We have power, but we can't use it for destruction, no matter how great the need.

neednounUS /niːd/

a condition requiring relief

From this reading _You are the man we need, Ray Berton.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading We have power, but we can't use it for destruction, no matter how great the need.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading We have power, but we can't use it for destruction, no matter how great the need.

rationaladjectiveUS /ˈræʃ.ən.əl/

Based on or in accordance with reason or logic rather than turbulent emotions.

From this reading You're a killer, but you're sane and rational.

RaynounUS /reɪ/

a column of light (as from a beacon)

From this reading _You are the man we need, Ray Berton.

ReporternounUS /rɪˈpɔːrtər/

a person who investigates and reports or edits news stories

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

saneadjectiveUS /seɪn/

mentally healthy; free from mental disorder

From this reading You're a killer, but you're sane and rational.

SeptembernounUS /sepˈtembər/

the month following August and preceding October

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

ServicenounUS /ˈsɜːrvəs/

work done by one person or group that benefits another

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.

tele-audiocast

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

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _You are the man we need, Ray Berton.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.

they'll

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

From this reading Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.

ThosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Those we are fighting are insane, irrational, and they'll destroy humanity if they are not stopped.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading We have power, but we can't use it for destruction, no matter how great the need.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading _You are the man we need, Ray Berton.

YorknounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading But we can give you power--then it's up to you!_ From an evening tele-audiocast by International Information Service, New York City, September 8, 1983: Reporter: ...

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading _You are the man we need, Ray Berton.

You're

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

From this reading You're a killer, but you're sane and rational.

Chapter 1 of Earth needs a killer by Bryce Walton holds 532 sentences, grouped into 107 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 1 of Earth needs a killer contain?

Chapter 1 holds 532 sentences of Earth needs a killer, unabridged, divided into 107 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Earth needs a killer by Bryce Walton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 532 sentences, grouped into 107 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 1 of Earth needs a killer?

Work through the 107 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 107 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Earth needs a killer

Common questions about reading Earth needs a killer by Bryce Walton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Earth needs a killer?

Yes. All 1068 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #70571 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Earth needs a killer is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #70571, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Earth needs a killer take to read?

About 89 minutes of reading across 214 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Earth needs a killer section by section

How to work through Earth needs a killer section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 2 chapters of Earth needs a killer 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 Earth needs a killer

Words and structures a reader meets early in Earth needs a killer, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Berton
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Earth needs a killer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
You're
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Earth needs a killer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Killer
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Earth needs a killer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rational
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Earth needs a killer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.