Chapter 6 of Occasion ... for Disaster is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VI
Chapter 6 of Occasion ... for Disaster is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"An extremely serious one," Boyd said in a grave voice. He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned. "Go on," Malone said, fascinated. Her Majesty was watching Boyd with an intent expression. "The crime," Boyd said, "the very serious crime involved, is that of Threatening the Welfare of the Queen.
Chapter 6 of Occasion ... for Disaster is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 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.
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading “He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.”
having your attention fixated as though by a spell
From this reading “"Go on," Malone said, fascinated.”
past form of “frown” — look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading “He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.”
connected by participation or association or use
From this reading “"The crime," Boyd said, "the very serious crime involved, is that of Threatening the Welfare of the Queen.”
English scholar remembered for his chronology of Shakespeare's plays and his editions of Shakespeare and Dryden (1741-1812)
From this reading “"Go on," Malone said, fascinated.”
(used especially of ideas or principles) deeply rooted; firmly fixed or held
From this reading “He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.”
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading “"The crime," Boyd said, "the very serious crime involved, is that of Threatening the Welfare of the Queen.”
governmental provision of economic assistance to persons in need
From this reading “"The crime," Boyd said, "the very serious crime involved, is that of Threatening the Welfare of the Queen.”
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.
continue a certain state, condition, or activity
In this reading “"Go on," Malone said, fascinated.”
In this reading “He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.”
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 "An extremely serious one," Boyd said in a grave voice.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "An extremely serious one," Boyd said in a grave voice.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "An extremely serious one," Boyd said in a grave voice.
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
(criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act
From this reading "The crime," Boyd said, "the very serious crime involved, is that of Threatening the Welfare of the Queen.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading Her Majesty was watching Boyd with an intent expression.
to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect
From this reading "An extremely serious one," Boyd said in a grave voice.
having your attention fixated as though by a spell
From this reading "Go on," Malone said, fascinated.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
with resolute determination
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
past form of “frown” — look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "Go on," Malone said, fascinated.
death of a person
From this reading "An extremely serious one," Boyd said in a grave voice.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her Majesty was watching Boyd with an intent expression.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "An extremely serious one," Boyd said in a grave voice.
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading Her Majesty was watching Boyd with an intent expression.
connected by participation or association or use
From this reading "The crime," Boyd said, "the very serious crime involved, is that of Threatening the Welfare of the Queen.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "The crime," Boyd said, "the very serious crime involved, is that of Threatening the Welfare of the Queen.
impressiveness in scale or proportion
From this reading Her Majesty was watching Boyd with an intent expression.
English scholar remembered for his chronology of Shakespeare's plays and his editions of Shakespeare and Dryden (1741-1812)
From this reading "Go on," Malone said, fascinated.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "The crime," Boyd said, "the very serious crime involved, is that of Threatening the Welfare of the Queen.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "An extremely serious one," Boyd said in a grave voice.
(used especially of ideas or principles) deeply rooted; firmly fixed or held
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading "The crime," Boyd said, "the very serious crime involved, is that of Threatening the Welfare of the Queen.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "An extremely serious one," Boyd said in a grave voice.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading "An extremely serious one," Boyd said in a grave voice.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "The crime," Boyd said, "the very serious crime involved, is that of Threatening the Welfare of the Queen.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading "The crime," Boyd said, "the very serious crime involved, is that of Threatening the Welfare of the Queen.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
in an unsteady manner
From this reading He rose unsteadily to his feet, planted them firmly on the carpet, and frowned.
precisely as stated
From this reading "The crime," Boyd said, "the very serious crime involved, is that of Threatening the Welfare of the Queen.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "An extremely serious one," Boyd said in a grave voice.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Her Majesty was watching Boyd with an intent expression.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading Her Majesty was watching Boyd with an intent expression.
governmental provision of economic assistance to persons in need
From this reading "The crime," Boyd said, "the very serious crime involved, is that of Threatening the Welfare of the Queen.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Her Majesty was watching Boyd with an intent expression.
Chapter 6 of Occasion ... for Disaster by Randall Garrett holds 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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 6 holds 412 sentences of Occasion ... for Disaster, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 6 of Occasion ... for Disaster by Randall Garrett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 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 6 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 Occasion ... for Disaster by Randall Garrett on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6068 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #30434 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #30434, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 505 minutes of reading across 1214 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Occasion ... for Disaster section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 15 chapters of Occasion ... for Disaster 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 Occasion ... for Disaster, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
