Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Pellucidar
Pellucidar

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of Pellucidar is here in full — 185 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Pellucidar
Context Illustration Reading 1/37 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw himhe was looking back toward the village.
As I leaped for him his eyes fell upon me.
Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.
Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.
He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankfulI know that I should have been.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Pellucidar

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of Pellucidar is here in full — 185 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw himhe was looking back toward the village.
Line 2
As I leaped for him his eyes fell upon me.
Line 3
Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.
Line 4
Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.
Line 5
He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankfulI know that I should have been.

Learner Dictionary

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.

Throat noun US /θroʊt/

The passage at the back of the mouth.

From this reading “Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.”

All words in this reading · 87

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.

a

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

alarm

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

and

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

as

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

at

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

back

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

been

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

Before

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

behind

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

best

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

boulder

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

but

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

cave

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

CAVE-PRISON

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

could

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

do

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

dragged

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

eyes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As I leaped for him his eyes fell upon me.

fell

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As I leaped for him his eyes fell upon me.

figured

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

finally

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

fingers

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

first

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

for

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As I leaped for him his eyes fell upon me.

had

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

have

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

he

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

head

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

him

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

His

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

I

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

imagine

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

in

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

know

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

lay

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

leaped

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As I leaped for him his eyes fell upon me.

life

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

little

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

looking

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

man

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

me

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As I leaped for him his eyes fell upon me.

more

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

mortal

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

my

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

Never

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

of

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

ON

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

or

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

out

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

over

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

poor

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

pressure

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

proceeded

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

quite

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

RAID

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

released

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

saw

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

scream

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

seen

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

should

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

shoulder

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

single

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

sit

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

so

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

still

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

struggled

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

surprised

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

than

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

thankful

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

that

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

THE

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

this

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal than this poor cave man.

throatnounUS /θroʊt/

The passage at the back of the mouth.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

to

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

toward

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

turned

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

upon

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As I leaped for him his eyes fell upon me.

utter

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

village

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

warning

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

was

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him—he was looking back toward the village.

what

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

where

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

which

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

while

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

windpipe

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I imagine he was quite thankful—I know that I should have been.

with

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Before he could utter a single scream of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while I figured out what I had best do with him.

Chapter 11 of Pellucidar by Edgar Rice Burroughs holds 185 sentences, grouped into 37 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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.

What does chapter 11 of Pellucidar contain?

Chapter 11 holds 185 sentences of Pellucidar, unabridged, divided into 37 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 11 of Pellucidar by Edgar Rice Burroughs exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 185 sentences, grouped into 37 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.

How do I study chapter 11 of Pellucidar?

Work through the 37 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 37 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.

Can chapter 11 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 11 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.

Questions about reading Pellucidar

Common questions about reading Pellucidar by Edgar Rice Burroughs on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Pellucidar?

Yes. All 2834 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #605 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Pellucidar is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #605, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Pellucidar take to read?

About 236 minutes of reading across 567 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Pellucidar section by section

How to work through Pellucidar section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 16 chapters of Pellucidar to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Pellucidar

Words and structures a reader meets early in Pellucidar, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Several
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Pellucidar; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Years
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Pellucidar; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Elapsed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Pellucidar; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Since
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Pellucidar; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.