Chapter 9 of Gargoyles is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IX
Chapter 9 of Gargoyles is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
After a number of months they saw each other oftener. He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words. Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing. The fact that he was loved made it easier to write. The memory of the things she said, of the desire in her eyes was like music.
Chapter 9 of Gargoyles is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 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.
relying on or requiring a person or thing for support, supply, or what is needed
From this reading “He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.”
comparative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading “The fact that he was loved made it easier to write.”
marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea
From this reading “He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.”
excessive or insincere praise
From this reading “Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.”
the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge
From this reading “Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.”
more often or more frequently
From this reading “After a number of months they saw each other oftener.”
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading “Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.”
put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose
From this reading “Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.”
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 “He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.”
written or drawn or engraved
In this reading “Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.”
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 After a number of months they saw each other oftener.
a feeling of delighted approval and liking
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
later than; following
From this reading After a number of months they saw each other oftener.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
relying on or requiring a person or thing for support, supply, or what is needed
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading The memory of the things she said, of the desire in her eyes was like music.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading After a number of months they saw each other oftener.
comparative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading The fact that he was loved made it easier to write.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading The fact that he was loved made it easier to write.
marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
excessive or insincere praise
From this reading Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The fact that he was loved made it easier to write.
the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge
From this reading Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The memory of the things she said, of the desire in her eyes was like music.
held dear
From this reading The fact that he was loved made it easier to write.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The fact that he was loved made it easier to write.
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading The memory of the things she said, of the desire in her eyes was like music.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading After a number of months they saw each other oftener.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading The memory of the things she said, of the desire in her eyes was like music.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading After a number of months they saw each other oftener.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading After a number of months they saw each other oftener.
more often or more frequently
From this reading After a number of months they saw each other oftener.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading After a number of months they saw each other oftener.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading The memory of the things she said, of the desire in her eyes was like music.
cut with a saw
From this reading After a number of months they saw each other oftener.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The memory of the things she said, of the desire in her eyes was like music.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading After a number of months they saw each other oftener.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading The memory of the things she said, of the desire in her eyes was like music.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose
From this reading Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.
the words that are spoken
From this reading He seemed to grow more dependent on the fanatical admiration of her eyes and words.
produce a literary work
From this reading The fact that he was loved made it easier to write.
the act of creating written works
From this reading Her flattery stirred an excitement in him that he was learning to utilize in writing.
Chapter 9 of Gargoyles by Ben Hecht holds 406 sentences, grouped into 82 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 9 holds 406 sentences of Gargoyles, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 9 of Gargoyles by Ben Hecht exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 406 sentences, grouped into 82 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 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 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 9 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 Gargoyles by Ben Hecht on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 8277 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #38489 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #38489, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1656 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Gargoyles section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 20 chapters of Gargoyles 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 Gargoyles, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
