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Second stage Lensmen
Second stage Lensmen

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Second stage Lensmen is here in full — 421 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Second stage Lensmen
Context Illustration Reading 1/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
By E. E. Smith, Ph.D.
Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.
Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.
Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."
Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Second stage Lensmen

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Second stage Lensmen is here in full — 421 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
By E. E. Smith, Ph.D.
Line 2
Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.
/lɔː enˈfɔːrsmənt læɡd bɪˈhaɪnd kraɪm bɪˈkɔːz ðə pəˈliːs wɜːr ˈlɪmətəd ɪn ðer sfɪrz ʌv ˈækʃən waɪl ˈkrɪmənəlz wɜːr nɑːt/
Line 3
Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.
Line 4
Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."
Line 5
Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

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.

ego noun US /ˈiːɡoʊ/

an inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others

From this reading “Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.”

enforcement noun US /enˈfɔːrsmənt/

the act of enforcing; ensuring observance of or obedience to

From this reading “Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.”

Galactic adjective US /ɡəˈlæktɪk/

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

From this reading “Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."”

Galaxy noun US /ˈɡæləksi/

a splendid assemblage (especially of famous people)

From this reading “Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.”

lagged verb US /læɡd/

inflected form of “lag” — hang (back) or fall (behind) in movement, progress, development, etc.

From this reading “Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.”

rampant adjective US /ˈræmpənt/

unrestrained and violent

From this reading “Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.”

telepathic adjective US /ˌteləˈpæθək/

communicating without apparent physical signals

From this reading “Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.”

wearer noun US /ˈwerər/

a person who wears or carries or displays something as a body covering or accessory

From this reading “Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

very existence adjective + noun

In this reading “Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.”

came into verb + particle counted as “come into”

obtain, especially accidentally

In this reading “Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."”

All words in this reading · 74

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 Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

actionnounUS /ˈækʃən/

something done (usually as opposed to something said)

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

Arisians

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

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

Bergenholm

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

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading By E. E. Smith, Ph.D.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

CivilizationnounUS /ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən/

a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

commercenounUS /ˈkɑːmərs/

transactions (sales and purchases) having the objective of supplying commodities (goods and services)

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

commonplaceadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmənpleɪs/

completely ordinary and unremarkable

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

crimenounUS /kraɪm/

(criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

criminalsnounUS /ˈkrɪmənəlz/

plural of “criminal” — someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

DnounUS /diː/

a fat-soluble vitamin that prevents rickets

From this reading By E. E. Smith, Ph.D.

driveverbUS /draɪv/

operate or control a vehicle

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

EnounUS /iː/

a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body

From this reading By E. E. Smith, Ph.D.

EachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

egonounUS /ˈiːɡoʊ/

an inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

enforcementnounUS /enˈfɔːrsmənt/

the act of enforcing; ensuring observance of or obedience to

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

existencenounUS /eɡˈzɪstəns/

the state or fact of existing

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

GalacticadjectiveUS /ɡəˈlæktɪk/

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

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

GalaxynounUS /ˈɡæləksi/

a splendid assemblage (especially of famous people)

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

highestadjectiveUS /ˈhaɪəst/

superlative of “high” — greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

identifiedadjectiveUS /aɪˈdentəfaɪd/

having the identity known or established

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

inertialess

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

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

inventedverbUS /ˌɪnˈventəd/

past form of “invent” — come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

jewelnounUS /ˈdʒuːəl/

a precious or semiprecious stone incorporated into a piece of jewelry

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

laggedverbUS /læɡd/

inflected form of “lag” — hang (back) or fall (behind) in movement, progress, development, etc.

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

LawnounUS /lɔː/

the collection of rules imposed by authority

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

LensnounUS /lenz/

a transparent optical device used to converge or diverge transmitted light and to form images

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

Lensmen

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

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

limitedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪmətəd/

small in range or scope

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

masternounUS /ˈmæstər/

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

matchedadjectiveUS /mætʃt/

provided with a worthy adversary or competitor

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

membersnounUS /ˈmembərz/

plural of “member” — one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

organizationnounUS /ˌɔːrɡənəˈzeɪʃən/

a group of people who work together

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

PatrolnounUS /pəˈtroʊl/

a detachment used for security or reconnaissance

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

PhnounUS /ˈpiːˈeɪtʃ/

(from potential of Hydrogen) the logarithm of the reciprocal of hydrogen-ion concentration in gram atoms per liter

From this reading By E. E. Smith, Ph.D.

philosophersnounUS /fəˈlɑːsəfərz/

plural of “philosopher” — a specialist in philosophy

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

policenounUS /pəˈliːs/

the force of policemen and officers

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

pseudoliving

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

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

rampantadjectiveUS /ˈræmpənt/

unrestrained and violent

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

SmithnounUS /smɪθ/

Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)

From this reading By E. E. Smith, Ph.D.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

spheresnounUS /sfɪrz/

plural of “sphere” — a particular environment or walk of life

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

telepathicadjectiveUS /ˌteləˈpæθək/

communicating without apparent physical signals

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

ThereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

threatenverbUS /ˈθretən/

pose a threat to; present a danger to

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

throughoutprepositionUS /θruːˈaʊt/

in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

ThusadverbUS /ðʌs/

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

wearernounUS /ˈwerər/

a person who wears or carries or displays something as a body covering or accessory

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

wearingnounUS /ˈwerɪŋ/

(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)

From this reading Each is identified by wearing the Lens, a pseudoliving telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer by those master philosophers, the Arisians.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Therefore, when Bergenholm invented the inertialess drive and commerce throughout the Galaxy became commonplace, crime became so rampant as to threaten the very existence of Civilization.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Law enforcement lagged behind crime because the police were limited in their spheres of action, while criminals were not.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Thus came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organization whose highest members are called "Lensmen."

Chapter 1 of Second stage Lensmen by E. E. (Edward Elmer) Smith holds 421 sentences, grouped into 85 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 Second stage Lensmen contain?

Chapter 1 holds 421 sentences of Second stage Lensmen, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Second stage Lensmen by E. E. (Edward Elmer) Smith exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 421 sentences, grouped into 85 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 Second stage Lensmen?

Work through the 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 85 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 Second stage Lensmen

Common questions about reading Second stage Lensmen by E. E. (Edward Elmer) Smith on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Second stage Lensmen?

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

Which edition of Second stage Lensmen is used?

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

How long does Second stage Lensmen take to read?

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

How to read Second stage Lensmen section by section

How to work through Second stage Lensmen section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Second stage Lensmen

Words and structures a reader meets early in Second stage Lensmen, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Second stage Lensmen, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of Second stage Lensmen, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of Second stage Lensmen, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.