Chapter 9 of "Piracy" is here in full — 77 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IX
Chapter 9 of "Piracy" is here in full — 77 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition. They sang and yelled and rolled their eyes, they crooned and cooned and beat their drums. “Josh--ua! Josh--ua! Why don’t you call and see mamma?
Chapter 9 of "Piracy" is here in full — 77 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/15 · 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.
large room used mainly for dancing
From this reading “It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.”
plural of “couple” — a pair who associate with one another
From this reading “It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.”
plural of “drum” — a musical percussion instrument; usually consists of a hollow cylinder with a membrane stretched across each end
From this reading “They sang and yelled and rolled their eyes, they crooned and cooned and beat their drums.”
feeling great rapture or delight
From this reading “It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.”
be silly or tease one another
From this reading ““Josh--ua!”
a floor made of parquetry
From this reading “It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.”
an event that repeats
From this reading “It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.”
temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work
From this reading “It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.”
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 “It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.”
In this reading “It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.”
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 It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
large room used mainly for dancing
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading They sang and yelled and rolled their eyes, they crooned and cooned and beat their drums.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Why don’t you call and see mamma?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They sang and yelled and rolled their eyes, they crooned and cooned and beat their drums.
plural of “couple” — a pair who associate with one another
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They sang and yelled and rolled their eyes, they crooned and cooned and beat their drums.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why don’t you call and see mamma?
plural of “drum” — a musical percussion instrument; usually consists of a hollow cylinder with a membrane stretched across each end
From this reading They sang and yelled and rolled their eyes, they crooned and cooned and beat their drums.
feeling great rapture or delight
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
opinion or judgment
From this reading They sang and yelled and rolled their eyes, they crooned and cooned and beat their drums.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
be silly or tease one another
From this reading “Josh--ua!
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
informal terms for a mother
From this reading Why don’t you call and see mamma?
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
according to the clock
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
a floor made of parquetry
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
an event that repeats
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading They sang and yelled and rolled their eyes, they crooned and cooned and beat their drums.
North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng
From this reading They sang and yelled and rolled their eyes, they crooned and cooned and beat their drums.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Why don’t you call and see mamma?
confined on all sides
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They sang and yelled and rolled their eyes, they crooned and cooned and beat their drums.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They sang and yelled and rolled their eyes, they crooned and cooned and beat their drums.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Josh--ua!
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why don’t you call and see mamma?
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was about three o’clock now; the ballroom looked a vast place in which three couples were entirely surrounded by parquet floor; and the band was become ecstatic with weariness and repetition.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading They sang and yelled and rolled their eyes, they crooned and cooned and beat their drums.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Why don’t you call and see mamma?
Chapter 9 of "Piracy" by Michael Arlen holds 77 sentences, grouped into 16 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 9 holds 77 sentences of "Piracy", unabridged, divided into 16 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 9 of "Piracy" by Michael Arlen exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 77 sentences, grouped into 16 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 16 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 16 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 9 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 "Piracy" by Michael Arlen on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #?, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through "Piracy" section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 0 chapters of "Piracy" 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 "Piracy", each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
