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The Tell-Tale Heart
The Tell-Tale Heart

Chapter II · Movement 02: The Floorboards & The Beating Heart

Read and study this complete chapter with synchronized narration, pronunciation, and vocabulary support.

Cover illustration for The Tell-Tale Heart
Context Illustration Reading 1/4 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.
The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence.
First of all I dismembered the corpse.
I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.
I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Tell-Tale Heart

Chapter II · Movement 02: The Floorboards & The Beating Heart

Study this chapter through synchronized reading, listening, pronunciation, and contextual vocabulary.

Reading 1/4 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.
Line 2
The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence.
Line 3
First of all I dismembered the corpse.
Line 4
I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.
Line 5
I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings.

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.

Silence noun US /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading “The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence.”

All words in this reading · 48

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

all

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

From this reading First of all I dismembered the corpse.

and

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

From this reading The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence.

arms

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

From this reading I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.

between

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

From this reading I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings.

body

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

but

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

From this reading The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence.

chamber

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

From this reading I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings.

concealment

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

corpse

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

From this reading First of all I dismembered the corpse.

cut

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

From this reading I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.

deposited

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

From this reading I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings.

describe

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

dismembered

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

From this reading First of all I dismembered the corpse.

First

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

From this reading First of all I dismembered the corpse.

flooring

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

From this reading I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings.

for

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

from

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

From this reading I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings.

hastily

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

From this reading The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence.

head

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

From this reading I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.

I

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

If

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

in

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

From this reading The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence.

legs

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

From this reading I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.

longer

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

mad

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

me

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

night

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

From this reading The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence.

no

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

of

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

off

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

From this reading I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.

planks

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

From this reading I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings.

precautions

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

scantlings

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

From this reading I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings.

silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence.

so

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

still

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

the

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

then

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

From this reading I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings.

think

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

three

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

From this reading I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings.

took

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

up

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

From this reading I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings.

waned

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

From this reading The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence.

when

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

will

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

wise

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

worked

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

From this reading The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence.

you

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

From this reading If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.

Chapter Quiz

Use these questions to verify literal comprehension before continuing to the next chapter.

What is the central focus and narrative progression in 'Movement 02: The Floorboards & The Beating Heart'?

How does the narrator establish the atmosphere and intellectual tone in this section?

What pedagogical insight can an advanced English scholar derive from this passage?