Chapter 20 of Erik Dorn is here in full — 255 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XX
Chapter 20 of Erik Dorn is here in full — 255 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Long days. Short days. Outside the window was an ant-hill street. And an ant-hill of days. In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.
Chapter 20 of Erik Dorn is here in full — 255 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/51 · 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 “calendar” — a system of timekeeping that defines the beginning and length and divisions of the year
From this reading “In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.”
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading “Outside the window was an ant-hill street.”
the exchange of goods for an agreed sum of money
From this reading “In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.”
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading “Short days.”
plural of “store” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading “In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.”
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading “Outside the window was an ant-hill street.”
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading “Outside the window was an ant-hill street.”
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading “In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.”
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.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Outside the window was an ant-hill street.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And an ant-hill of days.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside the window was an ant-hill street.
plural of “calendar” — a system of timekeeping that defines the beginning and length and divisions of the year
From this reading In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Long days.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Long days.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And an ant-hill of days.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Outside the window was an ant-hill street.
the exchange of goods for an agreed sum of money
From this reading In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Short days.
plural of “store” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Outside the window was an ant-hill street.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Outside the window was an ant-hill street.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Outside the window was an ant-hill street.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Outside the window was an ant-hill street.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading In the stores they were already selling calendars for the next year.
Chapter 20 of Erik Dorn by Ben Hecht holds 255 sentences, grouped into 51 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 20 holds 255 sentences of Erik Dorn, unabridged, divided into 51 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 20 of Erik Dorn by Ben Hecht exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 255 sentences, grouped into 51 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 51 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 51 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 20 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 Erik Dorn by Ben Hecht on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 9290 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #22358 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #22358, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1858 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Erik Dorn section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 33 chapters of Erik Dorn 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 Erik Dorn, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
