Chapter 2 of The Berserker is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of The Berserker is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
* * * * * The figure suspended on the hooks could not see Ostby. Where his eyes had been were now only bloody orifices. His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through. He was beyond the help of any doctor. He seemed to have recognized Ostby's voice.
Chapter 2 of The Berserker 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
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.
having or covered with or accompanied by blood
From this reading “Where his eyes had been were now only bloody orifices.”
large strong hand (as of a fighter)
From this reading “* * * * * The figure suspended on the hooks could not see Ostby.”
edible viscera of a butchered animal
From this reading “His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through.”
plural of “orifice” — an aperture or hole that opens into a bodily cavity
From this reading “Where his eyes had been were now only bloody orifices.”
generally approved or compelling recognition
From this reading “He seemed to have recognized Ostby's voice.”
plural of “ribbon” — any long object resembling a thin line
From this reading “His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through.”
an enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal; the principal organ of digestion
From this reading “His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through.”
(of undissolved particles in a fluid) supported or kept from sinking or falling by buoyancy and without apparent attachment
From this reading “* * * * * The figure suspended on the hooks could not see Ostby.”
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 to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He was beyond the help of any doctor.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Where his eyes had been were now only bloody orifices.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading He was beyond the help of any doctor.
having or covered with or accompanied by blood
From this reading Where his eyes had been were now only bloody orifices.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading * * * * * The figure suspended on the hooks could not see Ostby.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through.
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading He was beyond the help of any doctor.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Where his eyes had been were now only bloody orifices.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading * * * * * The figure suspended on the hooks could not see Ostby.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Where his eyes had been were now only bloody orifices.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He seemed to have recognized Ostby's voice.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was beyond the help of any doctor.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading He was beyond the help of any doctor.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Where his eyes had been were now only bloody orifices.
large strong hand (as of a fighter)
From this reading * * * * * The figure suspended on the hooks could not see Ostby.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading * * * * * The figure suspended on the hooks could not see Ostby.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Where his eyes had been were now only bloody orifices.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was beyond the help of any doctor.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading * * * * * The figure suspended on the hooks could not see Ostby.
and nothing more
From this reading Where his eyes had been were now only bloody orifices.
edible viscera of a butchered animal
From this reading His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through.
plural of “orifice” — an aperture or hole that opens into a bodily cavity
From this reading Where his eyes had been were now only bloody orifices.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * The figure suspended on the hooks could not see Ostby.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He seemed to have recognized Ostby's voice.
generally approved or compelling recognition
From this reading He seemed to have recognized Ostby's voice.
plural of “ribbon” — any long object resembling a thin line
From this reading His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading * * * * * The figure suspended on the hooks could not see Ostby.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He seemed to have recognized Ostby's voice.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through.
an enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal; the principal organ of digestion
From this reading His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through.
(of undissolved particles in a fluid) supported or kept from sinking or falling by buoyancy and without apparent attachment
From this reading * * * * * The figure suspended on the hooks could not see Ostby.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading * * * * * The figure suspended on the hooks could not see Ostby.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading He seemed to have recognized Ostby's voice.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His stomach was cut to ribbons and the inside organs showed through.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Where his eyes had been were now only bloody orifices.
in or at the place that
From this reading Where his eyes had been were now only bloody orifices.
Chapter 2 of The Berserker by Charles V. De Vet 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.
Chapter 2 holds 405 sentences of The Berserker, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of The Berserker by Charles V. De Vet 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.
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 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 The Berserker by Charles V. De Vet 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 The Berserker section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 0 chapters of The Berserker 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 The Berserker, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
