Chapter 3 of King Mombo is here in full — 117 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of King Mombo is here in full — 117 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE. When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging. The sky above our heads was dark and threatening. The clouds were low and moved with great swiftness. The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.
Chapter 3 of King Mombo is here in full — 117 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/23 · 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.
past form of “hiss” — make a sharp hissing sound, as if to show disapproval
From this reading “The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.”
a severe tropical cyclone usually with heavy rains and winds moving at 63-136 knots (12 on the Beaufort scale)
From this reading “The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.”
characterized by violent and forceful activity or movement; very intense
From this reading “When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.”
gear consisting of ropes etc. supporting a ship's masts and sails
From this reading “The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.”
a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens
From this reading “The clouds were low and moved with great swiftness.”
flesh of swordfish usually served as steaks
From this reading “A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.”
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading “The sky above our heads was dark and threatening.”
a very large person; impressive in size or qualities
From this reading “A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.”
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 “A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.”
In this reading “When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.”
In this reading “The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.”
In this reading “The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.”
In this reading “A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.”
In this reading “A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.”
In this reading “When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.”
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
In this reading “A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.”
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 A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The sky above our heads was dark and threatening.
anew
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
inflected form of “blow” — exhale hard
From this reading The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading The clouds were low and moved with great swiftness.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The sky above our heads was dark and threatening.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
a feeling of intense anger
From this reading The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The sky above our heads was dark and threatening.
past form of “hiss” — make a sharp hissing sound, as if to show disapproval
From this reading The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.
a severe tropical cyclone usually with heavy rains and winds moving at 63-136 knots (12 on the Beaufort scale)
From this reading The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The clouds were low and moved with great swiftness.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The clouds were low and moved with great swiftness.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The sky above our heads was dark and threatening.
characterized by violent and forceful activity or movement; very intense
From this reading When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.
gear consisting of ropes etc. supporting a ship's masts and sails
From this reading The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The sky above our heads was dark and threatening.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens
From this reading The clouds were low and moved with great swiftness.
flesh of swordfish usually served as steaks
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
pounded or hit repeatedly by storms or adversities
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.
in or at that place or location
From this reading When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading The sky above our heads was dark and threatening.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The clouds were low and moved with great swiftness.
a very large person; impressive in size or qualities
From this reading A STORM AT SEA—A TEMPEST-TOSSED LITTLE BIRD—FINE WEATHER AGAIN—FIGHT BETWEEN A SWORDFISH AND A WHALE.
at the time that
From this reading When I came on deck in the morning there was a great storm raging.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The wind blew with the fury of a hurricane and hissed through the rigging.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The clouds were low and moved with great swiftness.
Chapter 3 of King Mombo by Paul B. (Paul Belloni) Du Chaillu holds 117 sentences, grouped into 24 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 3 holds 117 sentences of King Mombo, unabridged, divided into 24 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of King Mombo by Paul B. (Paul Belloni) Du Chaillu exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 117 sentences, grouped into 24 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 24 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 24 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 3 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 King Mombo by Paul B. (Paul Belloni) Du Chaillu on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2703 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #62710 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #62710, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 225 minutes of reading across 541 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through King Mombo section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 21 chapters of King Mombo 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 King Mombo, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
