Chapter 5 of Second Variety is here in full — 402 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter V
Chapter 5 of Second Variety is here in full — 402 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
He listened, the transmitter gripped tightly. No sound. Only static. He walked forward. A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.
Chapter 5 of Second Variety is here in full — 402 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/80 · 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.
the residue that remains when something is burned
From this reading “A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.”
sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles
From this reading “A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.”
inflected form of “grip” — hold fast or firmly
From this reading “He listened, the transmitter gripped tightly.”
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading “He listened, the transmitter gripped tightly.”
past form of “race” — move hurridly
From this reading “A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.”
not in physical motion
From this reading “Only static.”
in a tight or constricted manner
From this reading “He listened, the transmitter gripped tightly.”
someone who transmits a message
From this reading “He listened, the transmitter gripped tightly.”
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.
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 claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.
the residue that remains when something is burned
From this reading A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.
sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles
From this reading A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading He walked forward.
inflected form of “grip” — hold fast or firmly
From this reading He listened, the transmitter gripped tightly.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He listened, the transmitter gripped tightly.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading He listened, the transmitter gripped tightly.
not any; not one
From this reading No sound.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.
and nothing more
From this reading Only static.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.
past form of “race” — move hurridly
From this reading A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading No sound.
not in physical motion
From this reading Only static.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He listened, the transmitter gripped tightly.
in a tight or constricted manner
From this reading He listened, the transmitter gripped tightly.
in the direction of
From this reading A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.
someone who transmits a message
From this reading He listened, the transmitter gripped tightly.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading He walked forward.
Chapter 5 of Second Variety by Philip K. Dick holds 402 sentences, grouped into 81 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 5 holds 402 sentences of Second Variety, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 5 of Second Variety by Philip K. Dick exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 402 sentences, grouped into 81 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 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 81 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 5 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 Second Variety by Philip K. Dick on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #?, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Second Variety section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 0 chapters of Second Variety 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 Second Variety, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
