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Pirates: A Comedy in One Act
Pirates: A Comedy in One Act

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Pirates: A Comedy in One Act is here in full — 585 sentences across 117 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Pirates: A Comedy in One Act
Context Illustration Reading 1/117 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MRS.
PICKERING.
My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.
Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.
MRS.
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.

Pirates: A Comedy in One Act

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Pirates: A Comedy in One Act is here in full — 585 sentences across 117 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/117 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MRS.
/ˈmɪsɪz/
Line 2
PICKERING.
Line 3
My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.
Line 4
Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.
/ˈɔːlsoʊ maɪ dɪr ˈmɪsɪz ˈwɔːrən ʃiː ækˈsepts ˈprezənts frʌm hɪm ˈflaʊərz ənd ðæt sɔːrt ʌv θɪŋ/
Line 5
MRS.
/ˈmɪsɪz/

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.

accepts verb US /ækˈsepts/

third-person singular of “accept” — consider or hold as true

From this reading “Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.”

duty noun US /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading “My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.”

flowers noun US /ˈflaʊərz/

plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading “Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.”

Hunter noun US /ˈhʌntər/

someone who hunts game

From this reading “My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.”

pastor noun US /ˈpæstər/

a person authorized to conduct religious worship

From this reading “My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.”

presents noun US /ˈprezənts/

plural of “present” — the period of time that is happening now; any continuous stretch of time including the moment of speech

From this reading “Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.”

walking adjective US /ˈwɔːkɪŋ/

close enough to be walked to

From this reading “My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.”

Warren noun US /ˈwɔːrən/

United States writer and poet (1905-1989)

From this reading “My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.”

All words in this reading · 47

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.

acceptsverbUS /ækˈsepts/

third-person singular of “accept” — consider or hold as true

From this reading Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.

AlsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

Betty

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

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

daughternounUS /ˈdɔːtər/

a female human offspring

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

DoctornounUS /ˈdɑːktər/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

dutynounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

feelverbUS /fiːl/

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

flowersnounUS /ˈflaʊərz/

plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.

HunternounUS /ˈhʌntər/

someone who hunts game

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

MRSnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading MRS.

MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

pastornounUS /ˈpæstər/

a person authorized to conduct religious worship

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

PICKERING

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

From this reading PICKERING.

presentsnounUS /ˈprezənts/

plural of “present” — the period of time that is happening now; any continuous stretch of time including the moment of speech

From this reading Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.

sorryadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːri/

feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading Also, my dear Mrs. Warren, she accepts presents from him ... flowers and that sort of thing.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

walkingadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːkɪŋ/

close enough to be walked to

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

WarrennounUS /ˈwɔːrən/

United States writer and poet (1905-1989)

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

wifenounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading My dear Mrs. Warren, I am very sorry to tell you ... but I feel that it is my duty, as wife of your pastor ... to tell you that your daughter Betty has been seen very often,--that is, at least once--walking with this Doctor Hunter.

Chapter 2 of Pirates: A Comedy in One Act by Colin Clements holds 585 sentences, grouped into 117 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.

What does chapter 2 of Pirates: A Comedy in One Act contain?

Chapter 2 holds 585 sentences of Pirates: A Comedy in One Act, unabridged, divided into 117 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Pirates: A Comedy in One Act by Colin Clements exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 585 sentences, grouped into 117 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 2 of Pirates: A Comedy in One Act?

Work through the 117 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 117 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 2 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading Pirates: A Comedy in One Act

Common questions about reading Pirates: A Comedy in One Act by Colin Clements on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Pirates: A Comedy in One Act?

Yes. All 1171 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #39609 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Pirates: A Comedy in One Act is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #39609, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Pirates: A Comedy in One Act take to read?

About 97 minutes of reading across 235 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Pirates: A Comedy in One Act section by section

How to work through Pirates: A Comedy in One Act section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in Pirates: A Comedy in One Act

Words and structures a reader meets early in Pirates: A Comedy in One Act, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Changes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Pirates: A Comedy in One Act; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Spelling
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Punctuation
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Listed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Pirates: A Comedy in One Act; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.