Chapter 8 of Mortmain is here in full — 418 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of Mortmain is here in full — 418 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston." "Thank you very much, Jerry. Remember, now. I haven't seen you--no matter what happens." "Not a word!"
Chapter 8 of Mortmain is here in full — 418 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/83 · 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.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading “"I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."”
third-person singular of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading “I haven't seen you--no matter what happens."”
offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading “"Thank you very much, Jerry.”
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading “I haven't seen you--no matter what happens."”
To recall to mind.
From this reading “Remember, now.”
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading “"Thank you very much, Jerry.”
the extreme end of something; especially something pointed
From this reading “"I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."”
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading “"Not a word!"”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Not a word!"
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading "I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."
third-person singular of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading I haven't seen you--no matter what happens."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I haven't seen you--no matter what happens."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."
offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading "Thank you very much, Jerry.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading I haven't seen you--no matter what happens."
a form of address for a man
From this reading "I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "Thank you very much, Jerry.
not any; not one
From this reading I haven't seen you--no matter what happens."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Not a word!"
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Remember, now.
and nothing more
From this reading "I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."
To recall to mind.
From this reading Remember, now.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading I haven't seen you--no matter what happens."
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading "Thank you very much, Jerry.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."
the extreme end of something; especially something pointed
From this reading "I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."
precisely as stated
From this reading "Thank you very much, Jerry.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading I haven't seen you--no matter what happens."
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading "Not a word!"
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I'm afraid it's the only tip I can give you, Mr. Ralston."
Chapter 8 of Mortmain by Arthur Cheney Train holds 418 sentences, grouped into 84 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 8 holds 418 sentences of Mortmain, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of Mortmain by Arthur Cheney Train exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 418 sentences, grouped into 84 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 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 84 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 8 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 Mortmain by Arthur Cheney Train on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6207 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #37346 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #37346, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 517 minutes of reading across 1242 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Mortmain section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 15 chapters of Mortmain 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 Mortmain, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
