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Plague Ship
Plague Ship

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Plague Ship is here in full — 189 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Plague Ship
Context Illustration Reading 1/37 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.
The small cabin was thickly redolent with spicy odors and Rip sniffed appreciatively.
"You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.
Dane snorted and tried to estimate progress over one shoulder.
"The things we have to do for Trade!" his comment carried a hint of present embarrassment.
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.

Plague Ship

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Plague Ship is here in full — 189 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.
Line 2
The small cabin was thickly redolent with spicy odors and Rip sniffed appreciatively.
/ðə smɔːl ˈkæbən wɑːz ˈθɪkli ˈredələnt wɪð ˈspaɪsi ˈoʊdərz ənd rɪp snɪft əˈpriːʃieɪtɪvli/
Line 3
"You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.
Line 4
Dane snorted and tried to estimate progress over one shoulder.
/deɪn ˈsnɔːrtɪd ənd traɪd tuː ˈestəmət ˈprɑːɡres ˈoʊvər wʌn ˈʃoʊldər/
Line 5
"The things we have to do for Trade!" his comment carried a hint of present embarrassment.
/ðə θɪŋz wiː hæv tuː duː fɔːr treɪd hɪz ˈkɑːment ˈkærid ə hɪnt ʌv ˈprezənt ɪmˈberəsmənt/

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.

appreciatively adverb US /əˈpriːʃieɪtɪvli/

with appreciation; in a grateful manner

From this reading “The small cabin was thickly redolent with spicy odors and Rip sniffed appreciatively.”

bather noun US /ˈbeɪðər/

a person who travels through the water by swimming

From this reading “Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.”

Dane's noun US /deɪnz/

possessive form of “dane” — a native or inhabitant of Denmark

From this reading “Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.”

Galactic adjective US /ɡəˈlæktɪk/

of or relating to a galaxy (especially our galaxy the Milky Way)

From this reading “Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.”

gobs noun US /ɡɑːbz/

a large number or amount

From this reading “Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.”

registry noun US /ˈredʒɪstri/

an official written record of names or events or transactions

From this reading “Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.”

Shannon noun US /ˈʃænən/

United States electrical engineer who pioneered mathematical communication theory (1916-2001)

From this reading “Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.”

slur verb US /slɜːr/

play smoothly or legato

From this reading “"You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.”

All words in this reading · 94

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

appliedadjectiveUS /əˈplaɪd/

concerned with concrete problems or data rather than with fundamental principles

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

appreciativelyadverbUS /əˈpriːʃieɪtɪvli/

with appreciation; in a grateful manner

From this reading The small cabin was thickly redolent with spicy odors and Rip sniffed appreciatively.

assistantnounUS /əˈsɪstənt/

a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

Astrogatornoun

the navigator of a spacecraft

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

bathernounUS /ˈbeɪðər/

a person who travels through the water by swimming

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

bladesnounUS /bleɪdz/

plural of “blade” — especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

bootnounUS /buːt/

footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

cabinnounUS /ˈkæbən/

small room on a ship or boat where people sleep

From this reading The small cabin was thickly redolent with spicy odors and Rip sniffed appreciatively.

Cargo-master-apprentice

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

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

carriedverbUS /ˈkærid/

inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading "The things we have to do for Trade!" his comment carried a hint of present embarrassment.

chucklenounUS /ˈtʃʌkəl/

a soft partly suppressed laugh

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

commentnounUS /ˈkɑːment/

a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information

From this reading "The things we have to do for Trade!" his comment carried a hint of present embarrassment.

crampedadjectiveUS /kræmpt/

constricted in size

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

DanenounUS /deɪn/

a native or inhabitant of Denmark

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

Dane'snounUS /deɪnz/

possessive form of “dane” — a native or inhabitant of Denmark

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "The things we have to do for Trade!" his comment carried a hint of present embarrassment.

embarrassmentnounUS /ɪmˈberəsmənt/

the shame you feel when your inadequacy or guilt is made public

From this reading "The things we have to do for Trade!" his comment carried a hint of present embarrassment.

endedadjectiveUS /ˈendəd/

having come or been brought to a conclusion

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

estimatenounUS /ˈestəmət/

an approximate calculation of quantity or degree or worth

From this reading Dane snorted and tried to estimate progress over one shoulder.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "The things we have to do for Trade!" his comment carried a hint of present embarrassment.

fournounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

FreeverbUS /friː/

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

GalacticadjectiveUS /ɡəˈlæktɪk/

of or relating to a galaxy (especially our galaxy the Milky Way)

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

gobsnounUS /ɡɑːbz/

a large number or amount

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "The things we have to do for Trade!" his comment carried a hint of present embarrassment.

highlyadverbUS /ˈhaɪli/

to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

hintnounUS /hɪnt/

an indirect suggestion

From this reading "The things we have to do for Trade!" his comment carried a hint of present embarrassment.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

middlenounUS /ˈmɪdəl/

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

odorsnounUS /ˈoʊdərz/

plural of “odor” — any property detected by the olfactory system

From this reading The small cabin was thickly redolent with spicy odors and Rip sniffed appreciatively.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Dane snorted and tried to estimate progress over one shoulder.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Dane snorted and tried to estimate progress over one shoulder.

pastenounUS /peɪst/

any mixture of a soft and malleable consistency

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading "The things we have to do for Trade!" his comment carried a hint of present embarrassment.

progressnounUS /ˈprɑːɡres/

gradual improvement or growth or development

From this reading Dane snorted and tried to estimate progress over one shoulder.

prominentadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːmənənt/

having a quality that thrusts itself into attention

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

QueennounUS /kwiːn/

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 Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

redolentadjectiveUS /ˈredələnt/

serving to bring to mind

From this reading The small cabin was thickly redolent with spicy odors and Rip sniffed appreciatively.

registrynounUS /ˈredʒɪstri/

an official written record of names or events or transactions

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

richadjectiveUS /rɪtʃ/

possessing material wealth

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

RipverbUS /rɪp/

tear or be torn violently

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

Sargol's

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

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

scentedadjectiveUS /ˈsentɪd/

having the sense of smell

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

senioradjectiveUS /ˈsiːnjər/

older; higher in rank; longer in length of tenure or service

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

ServicenounUS /ˈsɜːrvəs/

work done by one person or group that benefits another

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

ShannonnounUS /ˈʃænən/

United States electrical engineer who pioneered mathematical communication theory (1916-2001)

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

ship'snounUS /ʃɪps/

possessive form of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

shoulderverbUS /ˈʃoʊldər/

lift onto one's shoulders

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

skinnounUS /skɪn/

a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

slurverbUS /slɜːr/

play smoothly or legato

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The small cabin was thickly redolent with spicy odors and Rip sniffed appreciatively.

smellingnounUS /ˈsmelɪŋ/

the act of perceiving the odor of something

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

sniffedverbUS /snɪft/

past form of “sniff” — perceive by inhaling through the nose

From this reading The small cabin was thickly redolent with spicy odors and Rip sniffed appreciatively.

snortedverbUS /ˈsnɔːrtɪd/

past form of “snort” — indicate contempt by breathing noisily and forcefully through the nose

From this reading Dane snorted and tried to estimate progress over one shoulder.

softadjectiveUS /sɑːft/

yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

soilnounUS /sɔɪl/

the state of being covered with unclean things

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

SolaradjectiveUS /ˈsoʊlər/

relating to or derived from the sun or utilizing the energies of the sun

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

spacer

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

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

speechnounUS /spiːtʃ/

the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

spicyadjectiveUS /ˈspaɪsi/

producing a burning sensation on the taste nerves

From this reading The small cabin was thickly redolent with spicy odors and Rip sniffed appreciatively.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

Terra

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

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

Terran

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

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

thicklyadverbUS /ˈθɪkli/

spoken with poor articulation as if with a thick tongue

From this reading The small cabin was thickly redolent with spicy odors and Rip sniffed appreciatively.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading "The things we have to do for Trade!" his comment carried a hint of present embarrassment.

Thorson

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

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

TradenounUS /treɪd/

the commercial exchange (buying and selling on domestic or international markets) of goods and services

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

TradernounUS /ˈtreɪdər/

someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading Dane snorted and tried to estimate progress over one shoulder.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The small cabin was thickly redolent with spicy odors and Rip sniffed appreciatively.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading "The things we have to do for Trade!" his comment carried a hint of present embarrassment.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The small cabin was thickly redolent with spicy odors and Rip sniffed appreciatively.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading Dane Thorson, Cargo-master-apprentice of the Solar Queen, Galactic Free Trader spacer, Terra registry, stood in the middle of the ship's cramped bather while Rip Shannon, assistant Astrogator and his senior in the Service of Trade by some four years, applied gobs of highly scented paste to the skin between Dane's rather prominent shoulder blades.

You're

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

From this reading "You're sure going to be about the best smelling Terran who ever set boot on Sargol's soil," his soft slur of speech ended in a rich chuckle.

Chapter 1 of Plague Ship by Andre Norton holds 189 sentences, grouped into 38 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 1 of Plague Ship contain?

Chapter 1 holds 189 sentences of Plague Ship, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Plague Ship by Andre Norton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 189 sentences, grouped into 38 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 1 of Plague Ship?

Work through the 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 38 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Plague Ship

Common questions about reading Plague Ship by Andre Norton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Plague Ship?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Plague Ship is used?

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

How long does Plague Ship take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Plague Ship section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 0 chapters of Plague Ship 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 Plague Ship

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

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Plague Ship, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of Plague Ship, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of Plague Ship, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.