Chapter 2 of Modus Vivendi is here in full — 552 sentences across 111 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Modus Vivendi is here in full — 552 sentences across 111 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Utterly smooth," Lindstrom said. "I didn't see her make the switch." "Me, too," I agreed. I could see the tension drain from Mary's face. She was prettier when she wasn't worried.
Chapter 2 of Modus Vivendi is here in full — 552 sentences across 111 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/110 · 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.
flow off gradually
From this reading “I could see the tension drain from Mary's face.”
possessive form of “mary” — the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading “I could see the tension drain from Mary's face.”
comparative of “pretty” — pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading “She was prettier when she wasn't worried.”
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading “"Utterly smooth," Lindstrom said.”
change over, change around, as to a new order or sequence
From this reading “"I didn't see her make the switch."”
(psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense
From this reading “I could see the tension drain from Mary's face.”
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading “"Utterly smooth," Lindstrom said.”
afflicted with or marked by anxious uneasiness or trouble or grief
From this reading “She was prettier when she wasn't worried.”
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.
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.
united by being of the same opinion
From this reading "Me, too," I agreed.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I could see the tension drain from Mary's face.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I didn't see her make the switch."
flow off gradually
From this reading I could see the tension drain from Mary's face.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading I could see the tension drain from Mary's face.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I could see the tension drain from Mary's face.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "I didn't see her make the switch."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I didn't see her make the switch."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Utterly smooth," Lindstrom said.
engage in
From this reading "I didn't see her make the switch."
possessive form of “mary” — the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading I could see the tension drain from Mary's face.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Me, too," I agreed.
comparative of “pretty” — pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading She was prettier when she wasn't worried.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Utterly smooth," Lindstrom said.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "I didn't see her make the switch."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was prettier when she wasn't worried.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading "Utterly smooth," Lindstrom said.
change over, change around, as to a new order or sequence
From this reading "I didn't see her make the switch."
(psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense
From this reading I could see the tension drain from Mary's face.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "I didn't see her make the switch."
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading "Me, too," I agreed.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading "Utterly smooth," Lindstrom said.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was prettier when she wasn't worried.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was prettier when she wasn't worried.
at the time that
From this reading She was prettier when she wasn't worried.
afflicted with or marked by anxious uneasiness or trouble or grief
From this reading She was prettier when she wasn't worried.
Chapter 2 of Modus Vivendi by John Berryman holds 552 sentences, grouped into 111 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 2 holds 552 sentences of Modus Vivendi, unabridged, divided into 111 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Modus Vivendi by John Berryman exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 552 sentences, grouped into 111 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 111 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 111 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 2 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 Modus Vivendi by John Berryman on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1100 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #30311 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #30311, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 91 minutes of reading across 220 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Modus Vivendi section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 2 chapters of Modus Vivendi 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 Modus Vivendi, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
