Chapter 2 of Raffles is here in full — 192 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Raffles is here in full — 192 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Think I look much older?” he asked at length. “A bit,” I admitted. “But it is chiefly your hair.” “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it. Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure you.
Chapter 2 of Raffles is here in full — 192 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/38 · 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.
inflected form of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading ““A bit,” I admitted.”
make certain of
From this reading “Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure you.”
for the most part
From this reading ““But it is chiefly your hair.””
plural of “hang” — a special way of doing something
From this reading ““Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.”
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading ““Think I look much older?” he asked at length.”
a chronic drinker
From this reading “Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure you.”
travel through water
From this reading ““Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.”
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading ““Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.”
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 “A bit,” I admitted.
inflected form of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading “A bit,” I admitted.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “Think I look much older?” he asked at length.
make certain of
From this reading Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure you.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Think I look much older?” he asked at length.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading “A bit,” I admitted.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But it is chiefly your hair.”
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure you.
for the most part
From this reading “But it is chiefly your hair.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure you.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading “But it is chiefly your hair.”
plural of “hang” — a special way of doing something
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Think I look much older?” he asked at length.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Think I look much older?” he asked at length.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “But it is chiefly your hair.”
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure you.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “But it is chiefly your hair.”
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading “Think I look much older?” he asked at length.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading “Think I look much older?” he asked at length.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading “Think I look much older?” he asked at length.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure you.
many times at short intervals
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading “Think I look much older?” he asked at length.
used when we are both doing the action and receiving it
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
a chronic drinker
From this reading Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure you.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure you.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
not in physical motion
From this reading Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure you.
travel through water
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure you.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading “Think I look much older?” he asked at length.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
at the time that
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Whereby hangs a tale for when we’ve talked ourselves out, though I have often thought it was that long swim that started it.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure you.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “But it is chiefly your hair.”
Chapter 2 of Raffles by E. W. (Ernest William) Hornung holds 192 sentences, grouped into 39 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.
Chapter 2 holds 192 sentences of Raffles, unabridged, divided into 39 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Raffles by E. W. (Ernest William) Hornung exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 192 sentences, grouped into 39 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 39 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 39 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 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.
Common questions about reading Raffles by E. W. (Ernest William) Hornung on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3244 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #707 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #707, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 270 minutes of reading across 649 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Raffles section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 17 chapters of Raffles 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 Raffles, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
