Chapter 7 of Into the Primitive is here in full — 152 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VII
Chapter 7 of Into the Primitive is here in full — 152 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
AROUND THE HEADLAND It was mid morning before Blake reappeared. He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea. His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression. "Come on!" he called. "I've struck it.
Chapter 7 of Into the Primitive is here in full — 152 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/30 · 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.
the top edge of a vessel or other container
From this reading “His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.”
joyful and proud especially because of triumph or success
From this reading “His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.”
a tropical tree or shrub bearing fruit that germinates while still on the tree and having numerous prop roots that eventually form an impenetrable mass and are important in land building
From this reading “He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.”
used in combination to denote the middle
From this reading “AROUND THE HEADLAND It was mid morning before Blake reappeared.”
past form of “reappear” — appear again
From this reading “AROUND THE HEADLAND It was mid morning before Blake reappeared.”
covered with or resembling slime
From this reading “His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.”
past form of “smear” — stain by smearing or daubing with a dirty substance
From this reading “His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.”
the part of the leg between the hip and the knee
From this reading “His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.”
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.
trace
In this reading “He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.”
In this reading “He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.”
In this reading “He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.”
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.
past form of “approach” — move towards
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading AROUND THE HEADLAND It was mid morning before Blake reappeared.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading AROUND THE HEADLAND It was mid morning before Blake reappeared.
visionary British poet and painter (1757-1827)
From this reading AROUND THE HEADLAND It was mid morning before Blake reappeared.
the top edge of a vessel or other container
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "Come on!" he called.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "Come on!" he called.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.
weak from exhaustion
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
joyful and proud especially because of triumph or success
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.
a natural elevation (especially a rocky one that juts out into the sea)
From this reading AROUND THE HEADLAND It was mid morning before Blake reappeared.
prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've struck it.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading AROUND THE HEADLAND It was mid morning before Blake reappeared.
a tropical tree or shrub bearing fruit that germinates while still on the tree and having numerous prop roots that eventually form an impenetrable mass and are important in land building
From this reading He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.
used in combination to denote the middle
From this reading AROUND THE HEADLAND It was mid morning before Blake reappeared.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading AROUND THE HEADLAND It was mid morning before Blake reappeared.
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Come on!" he called.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.
past form of “reappear” — appear again
From this reading AROUND THE HEADLAND It was mid morning before Blake reappeared.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.
covered with or resembling slime
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
past form of “smear” — stain by smearing or daubing with a dirty substance
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading "I've struck it.
drench or submerge or be drenched or submerged
From this reading He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AROUND THE HEADLAND It was mid morning before Blake reappeared.
the part of the leg between the hip and the knee
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
(usually in the plural) a garment extending from the waist to the knee or ankle, covering each leg separately
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading AROUND THE HEADLAND It was mid morning before Blake reappeared.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
in or at the place that
From this reading He came from the mangrove swamp where it ran down into the sea.
in the company of; together with
From this reading His trousers were smeared to the thigh with slimy mud; but as he approached, the drooping brim of his palm-leaf hat failed to hide his exultant expression.
Chapter 7 of Into the Primitive by Robert Ames Bennet holds 152 sentences, grouped into 31 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 7 holds 152 sentences of Into the Primitive, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 7 of Into the Primitive by Robert Ames Bennet exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 152 sentences, grouped into 31 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 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 31 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 7 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 Into the Primitive by Robert Ames Bennet on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4737 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33903 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #33903, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 394 minutes of reading across 948 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Into the Primitive section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 24 chapters of Into the Primitive 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 Into the Primitive, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
