Chapter 8 of Sea urchins is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of Sea urchins is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“You’re very kind,” said the engineer slowly. “We’ll have a jolly time,” said Mrs. Cluffins. “I often wish my husband was a seafaring man. A wife does have more freedom, doesn’t she?” “More what?” inquired Mr. Gannett huskily.
Chapter 8 of Sea urchins is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 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.
a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
From this reading ““You’re very kind,” said the engineer slowly.”
the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints
From this reading “A wife does have more freedom, doesn’t she?””
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading ““I often wish my husband was a seafaring man.”
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading ““More what?” inquired Mr. Gannett huskily.”
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading ““We’ll have a jolly time,” said Mrs. Cluffins.”
many times at short intervals
From this reading ““I often wish my husband was a seafaring man.”
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading ““You’re very kind,” said the engineer slowly.”
hope for; have a wish
From this reading ““I often wish my husband was a seafaring man.”
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 “We’ll have a jolly time,” said Mrs. Cluffins.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “We’ll have a jolly time,” said Mrs. Cluffins.
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A wife does have more freedom, doesn’t she?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A wife does have more freedom, doesn’t she?”
a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
From this reading “You’re very kind,” said the engineer slowly.
the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints
From this reading A wife does have more freedom, doesn’t she?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “More what?” inquired Mr. Gannett huskily.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “We’ll have a jolly time,” said Mrs. Cluffins.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading “I often wish my husband was a seafaring man.
in a hoarse or husky voice
From this reading “More what?” inquired Mr. Gannett huskily.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I often wish my husband was a seafaring man.
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading “More what?” inquired Mr. Gannett huskily.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading “We’ll have a jolly time,” said Mrs. Cluffins.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading “You’re very kind,” said the engineer slowly.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “I often wish my husband was a seafaring man.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading A wife does have more freedom, doesn’t she?”
a form of address for a man
From this reading “More what?” inquired Mr. Gannett huskily.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading “We’ll have a jolly time,” said Mrs. Cluffins.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “I often wish my husband was a seafaring man.
many times at short intervals
From this reading “I often wish my husband was a seafaring man.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “You’re very kind,” said the engineer slowly.
the work of a sailor
From this reading “I often wish my husband was a seafaring man.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A wife does have more freedom, doesn’t she?”
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading “You’re very kind,” said the engineer slowly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “You’re very kind,” said the engineer slowly.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading “We’ll have a jolly time,” said Mrs. Cluffins.
precisely as stated
From this reading “You’re very kind,” said the engineer slowly.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “I often wish my husband was a seafaring man.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “We’ll have a jolly time,” said Mrs. Cluffins.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “More what?” inquired Mr. Gannett huskily.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading A wife does have more freedom, doesn’t she?”
hope for; have a wish
From this reading “I often wish my husband was a seafaring man.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You’re very kind,” said the engineer slowly.
Chapter 8 of Sea urchins by W. W. (William Wymark) Jacobs holds 406 sentences, grouped into 82 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 8 holds 406 sentences of Sea urchins, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of Sea urchins by W. W. (William Wymark) Jacobs exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 406 sentences, grouped into 82 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 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 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 8 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 Sea urchins by W. W. (William Wymark) Jacobs on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3210 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21931 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21931, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 267 minutes of reading across 642 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Sea urchins section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 8 chapters of Sea urchins 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 Sea urchins, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
