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If You Was a Moklin
If You Was a Moklin

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of If You Was a Moklin is here in full — 695 sentences across 139 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for If You Was a Moklin
Context Illustration Reading 1/139 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.
You'd even want to be one!
Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.
There ain't any reason for it.
Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.
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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.

If You Was a Moklin

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of If You Was a Moklin is here in full — 695 sentences across 139 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/139 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.
Line 2
You'd even want to be one!
Line 3
Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.
Line 4
There ain't any reason for it.
Line 5
Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

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.

breathing noun US /ˈbriːðɪŋ/

the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation

From this reading “Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.”

Brooks noun US /brʊks/

United States literary critic and historian (1886-1963)

From this reading “Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.”

copious adjective US /ˈkoʊpiəs/

large in number or quantity (especially of discourse)

From this reading “Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.”

figures noun US /ˈfɪɡjərz/

plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading “Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.”

forty adjective US /ˈfɔːrti/

being ten more than thirty

From this reading “Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.”

humans noun US /ˈhjuːmənz/

all of the living human inhabitants of the earth

From this reading “Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.”

planet noun US /ˈplænət/

(astronomy) any of the nine large celestial bodies in the solar system that revolve around the sun and shine by reflected light

From this reading “Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.”

sweating noun US /ˈswetɪŋ/

the process of the sweat glands of the skin secreting a salty fluid

From this reading “Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.”

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.

forty years adjective + noun

In this reading “Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.”

least bit adjective + noun

In this reading “Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.”

last minute adjective + noun

the latest possible moment

In this reading “Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.”

any reason adjective + noun

In this reading “There ain't any reason for it.”

get off verb + particle

leave a vehicle, aircraft, etc.

In this reading “Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.”

look pretty verb + adjective

In this reading “You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.”

All words in this reading · 68

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.

ain't

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

From this reading There ain't any reason for it.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading There ain't any reason for it.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/

exceptionally bad or displeasing

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

badadjectiveUS /bæd/

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading You'd even want to be one!

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

bitnounUS /bɪt/

a small piece or quantity of something

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

breathingnounUS /ˈbriːðɪŋ/

the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

BrooksnounUS /brʊks/

United States literary critic and historian (1886-1963)

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

can't

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

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

copiousadjectiveUS /ˈkoʊpiəs/

large in number or quantity (especially of discourse)

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

Earthmen

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

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading You'd even want to be one!

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

fastadverbUS /fæst/

quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

figuresnounUS /ˈfɪɡjərz/

plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

fortyadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrti/

being ten more than thirty

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

humansnounUS /ˈhjuːmənz/

all of the living human inhabitants of the earth

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

imagineverbUS /ˌɪˈmædʒən/

form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading There ain't any reason for it.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

minutenounUS /ˈmɪnət/

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

Moklin

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

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

movingadjectiveUS /ˈmuːvɪŋ/

in motion

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

nobodypronounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/

no person; not anyone

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading You'd even want to be one!

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

piecesnounUS /ˈpiːsəz/

plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

planetnounUS /ˈplænət/

(astronomy) any of the nine large celestial bodies in the solar system that revolve around the sun and shine by reflected light

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading There ain't any reason for it.

sweatingnounUS /ˈswetɪŋ/

the process of the sweat glands of the skin secreting a salty fluid

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There ain't any reason for it.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

UpadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Up to the very last minute, I can't imagine that Moklin is going to be the first planet that humans get off of, moving fast, breathing hard, and sweating awful copious.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading You'd even want to be one!

worksnounUS /wɜːrks/

buildings for carrying on industrial labor

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

wrongadjectiveUS /rɔːŋ/

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading Humans have been on Moklin for more than forty years, and nobody ever figures there is anything the least bit wrong until Brooks works it out.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

You'd

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

From this reading You'd love Earthmen to pieces, for they may look pretty bad to themselves, but not to you.

Chapter 1 of If You Was a Moklin by Murray Leinster holds 695 sentences, grouped into 139 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 If You Was a Moklin contain?

Chapter 1 holds 695 sentences of If You Was a Moklin, unabridged, divided into 139 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of If You Was a Moklin by Murray Leinster exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 695 sentences, grouped into 139 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 If You Was a Moklin?

Work through the 139 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 139 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 If You Was a Moklin

Common questions about reading If You Was a Moklin by Murray Leinster on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of If You Was a Moklin?

Yes. All 695 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #51752 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of If You Was a Moklin is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #51752, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does If You Was a Moklin take to read?

About 57 minutes of reading across 139 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read If You Was a Moklin section by section

How to work through If You Was a Moklin section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of If You Was a Moklin 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 If You Was a Moklin

Words and structures a reader meets early in If You Was a Moklin, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

You'd
A word that appears in the opening chapter of If You Was a Moklin; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Earthmen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of If You Was a Moklin; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pieces
A word that appears in the opening chapter of If You Was a Moklin; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pretty
A word that appears in the opening chapter of If You Was a Moklin; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.