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Seeing Things at Night
Seeing Things at Night

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Seeing Things at Night is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Seeing Things at Night
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Train journeys are almost as bad as sea voyages.
Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"
No provision is made for the casual traveler without a destination.
The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.
Our own system is to shop for trains.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Seeing Things at Night

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Seeing Things at Night is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Train journeys are almost as bad as sea voyages.
/treɪn ˈdʒɜːrniz ɑːr ˈɔːlmoʊst æz bæd æz siː ˈvɔɪədʒəz/
Line 2
Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"
/ɡoʊ ˈɪntuː ˈeni ˈreɪlroʊd ˈsteɪʃən ɪn taʊn ənd æsk ðə mæn æt ðə ˈwɪndoʊ fɔːr ə ˈtɪkət ənd hiː wɪl ˌɪnˈveriəbli ˌɪnˈkwaɪr wer duː juː wɑːnt tuː ɡoʊ/
Line 3
No provision is made for the casual traveler without a destination.
/noʊ prəˈvɪʒən ɪz meɪd fɔːr ðə ˈkæʒəwəl ˈtrævələr wɪˈθaʊt ə ˌdestəˈneɪʃən/
Line 4
The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.
/ðə ˈkwiːri wʌt treɪnz hæv juː ɡɑːt miːts wɪð skænt ˈkɜːrtəsi/
Line 5
Our own system is to shop for trains.
/ˈaʊər oʊn ˈsɪstəm ɪz tuː ʃɑːp fɔːr treɪnz/

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.

journeys noun US /ˈdʒɜːrniz/

plural of “journey” — the act of traveling from one place to another

From this reading “Train journeys are almost as bad as sea voyages.”

meets noun US /miːts/

plural of “meet” — a meeting at which a number of athletic contests are held

From this reading “The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.”

provision noun US /prəˈvɪʒən/

a stipulated condition

From this reading “No provision is made for the casual traveler without a destination.”

query noun US /ˈkwiːri/

an instance of questioning

From this reading “The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.”

scant adjective US /skænt/

less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so

From this reading “The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.”

trains noun US /treɪnz/

plural of “train” — public transport provided by a line of railway cars coupled together and drawn by a locomotive

From this reading “The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.”

traveler noun US /ˈtrævələr/

a person who changes location

From this reading “No provision is made for the casual traveler without a destination.”

voyages noun US /ˈvɔɪədʒəz/

plural of “voyage” — an act of traveling by water

From this reading “Train journeys are almost as bad as sea voyages.”

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.

railroad station noun + noun

terminal where trains load or unload passengers or goods

In this reading “Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"”

sea voyages noun + noun counted as “sea voyage”

In this reading “Train journeys are almost as bad as sea voyages.”

Go into verb + particle

to come or go into

In this reading “Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"”

at the window preposition + article + noun counted as “at … window”

In this reading “Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"”

meets with verb + particle counted as “meet with”

In this reading “The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.”

All words in this reading · 54

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 Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Train journeys are almost as bad as sea voyages.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Train journeys are almost as bad as sea voyages.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Train journeys are almost as bad as sea voyages.

askverbUS /æsk/

make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

badadjectiveUS /bæd/

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading Train journeys are almost as bad as sea voyages.

casualadjectiveUS /ˈkæʒəwəl/

marked by blithe unconcern

From this reading No provision is made for the casual traveler without a destination.

courtesynounUS /ˈkɜːrtəsi/

a courteous or respectful or considerate act

From this reading The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.

destinationnounUS /ˌdestəˈneɪʃən/

the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)

From this reading No provision is made for the casual traveler without a destination.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

GoverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

inquireverbUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪr/

address a question to and expect an answer from

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

invariablyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈveriəbli/

without variation or change, in every case

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading No provision is made for the casual traveler without a destination.

journeysnounUS /ˈdʒɜːrniz/

plural of “journey” — the act of traveling from one place to another

From this reading Train journeys are almost as bad as sea voyages.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading No provision is made for the casual traveler without a destination.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

meetsnounUS /miːts/

plural of “meet” — a meeting at which a number of athletic contests are held

From this reading The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No provision is made for the casual traveler without a destination.

OurdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Our own system is to shop for trains.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Our own system is to shop for trains.

provisionnounUS /prəˈvɪʒən/

a stipulated condition

From this reading No provision is made for the casual traveler without a destination.

querynounUS /ˈkwiːri/

an instance of questioning

From this reading The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.

railroadnounUS /ˈreɪlroʊd/

line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

scantadjectiveUS /skænt/

less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so

From this reading The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading Train journeys are almost as bad as sea voyages.

shopverbUS /ʃɑːp/

do one's shopping

From this reading Our own system is to shop for trains.

stationnounUS /ˈsteɪʃən/

a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

systemnounUS /ˈsɪstəm/

instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity

From this reading Our own system is to shop for trains.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

ticketnounUS /ˈtɪkət/

a commercial document showing that the holder is entitled to something (as to ride on public transportation or to enter a public entertainment)

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

TrainverbUS /treɪn/

create by training and teaching

From this reading Train journeys are almost as bad as sea voyages.

trainsnounUS /treɪnz/

plural of “train” — public transport provided by a line of railway cars coupled together and drawn by a locomotive

From this reading The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.

travelernounUS /ˈtrævələr/

a person who changes location

From this reading No provision is made for the casual traveler without a destination.

voyagesnounUS /ˈvɔɪədʒəz/

plural of “voyage” — an act of traveling by water

From this reading Train journeys are almost as bad as sea voyages.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.

WhereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

windownounUS /ˈwɪndoʊ/

a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The query "What trains have you got?" meets with scant courtesy.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading No provision is made for the casual traveler without a destination.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Go into any railroad station in town and ask the man at the window for a ticket and he will invariably inquire "Where do you want to go?"

Chapter 2 of Seeing Things at Night by Heywood Broun holds 405 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.

What does chapter 2 of Seeing Things at Night contain?

Chapter 2 holds 405 sentences of Seeing Things at Night, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Seeing Things at Night by Heywood Broun exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 405 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.

How do I study chapter 2 of Seeing Things at Night?

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.

Can chapter 2 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading Seeing Things at Night

Common questions about reading Seeing Things at Night by Heywood Broun on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Seeing Things at Night?

Yes. All 3614 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #35793 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Seeing Things at Night is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #35793, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Seeing Things at Night take to read?

About 301 minutes of reading across 723 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Seeing Things at Night section by section

How to work through Seeing Things at Night section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 9 chapters of Seeing Things at Night to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Seeing Things at Night

Words and structures a reader meets early in Seeing Things at Night, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

First
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Seeing Things at Night; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Difficulty
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Seeing Things at Night; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Title
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Seeing Things at Night; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Seeing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Seeing Things at Night; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.