Chapter 17 of Project Cyclops is here in full — 419 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVII
Chapter 17 of Project Cyclops is here in full — 419 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"That's where you just went off the track." His eyes narrowed, the corners crinkling. "We're definitely on the wrong end of the odds here. These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp. That's not a recipe for heroics.
Chapter 17 of Project Cyclops is here in full — 419 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/83 · 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.
plural of “bastard” — insulting terms of address for people who are stupid or irritating or ridiculous
From this reading “These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.”
plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area
From this reading “His eyes narrowed, the corners crinkling.”
without question and beyond doubt
From this reading “"We're definitely on the wrong end of the odds here.”
an udder or breast or teat
From this reading “These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.”
ostentatious or vainglorious or extravagant or melodramatic conduct
From this reading “That's not a recipe for heroics.”
reduced in size as by squeezing together
From this reading “His eyes narrowed, the corners crinkling.”
the likelihood of a thing occurring rather than not occurring
From this reading “"We're definitely on the wrong end of the odds here.”
directions for making something
From this reading “That's not a recipe for heroics.”
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.
run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along
In this reading “"That's where you just went off the track."”
In this reading “These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.”
In this reading “"We're definitely on the wrong end of the odds here.”
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 These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
plural of “bastard” — insulting terms of address for people who are stupid or irritating or ridiculous
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area
From this reading His eyes narrowed, the corners crinkling.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes narrowed, the corners crinkling.
without question and beyond doubt
From this reading "We're definitely on the wrong end of the odds here.
an udder or breast or teat
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading "We're definitely on the wrong end of the odds here.
opinion or judgment
From this reading His eyes narrowed, the corners crinkling.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
hold firmly
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
lacking in or deprived of strength or power
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "We're definitely on the wrong end of the odds here.
ostentatious or vainglorious or extravagant or melodramatic conduct
From this reading That's not a recipe for heroics.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His eyes narrowed, the corners crinkling.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
and nothing more
From this reading "That's where you just went off the track."
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
reduced in size as by squeezing together
From this reading His eyes narrowed, the corners crinkling.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading That's not a recipe for heroics.
the likelihood of a thing occurring rather than not occurring
From this reading "We're definitely on the wrong end of the odds here.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "We're definitely on the wrong end of the odds here.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "That's where you just went off the track."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "We're definitely on the wrong end of the odds here.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
with considerable certainty; without much doubt
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
directions for making something
From this reading That's not a recipe for heroics.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's where you just went off the track."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "That's where you just went off the track."
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading "That's where you just went off the track."
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading These bastards are dug in, they've probably got A-bombs, and we know for sure they've got a lot of helpless people in their grasp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We're definitely on the wrong end of the odds here.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "That's where you just went off the track."
in or at the place that
From this reading "That's where you just went off the track."
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading "We're definitely on the wrong end of the odds here.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "That's where you just went off the track."
Chapter 17 of Project Cyclops by Thomas Hoover holds 419 sentences, grouped into 84 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 17 holds 419 sentences of Project Cyclops, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 17 of Project Cyclops by Thomas Hoover exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 419 sentences, grouped into 84 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 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 84 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 17 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 Project Cyclops by Thomas Hoover on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 12997 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #34319 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #34319, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 2600 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Project Cyclops section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 32 chapters of Project Cyclops 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 Project Cyclops, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
