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The Bill-Toppers
The Bill-Toppers

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Bill-Toppers is here in full — 305 sentences across 61 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Bill-Toppers
Context Illustration Reading 1/61 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Poor Lily!
She was Trampy's little wife, his little wife for ever!
And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.
And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.
It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.
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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.

The Bill-Toppers

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Bill-Toppers is here in full — 305 sentences across 61 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/61 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Poor Lily!
/puːr ˈlɪli/
Line 2
She was Trampy's little wife, his little wife for ever!
Line 3
And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.
Line 4
And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.
Line 5
It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.

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.

consulted verb US /kənˈsʌltəd/

past form of “consult” — get or ask advice from

From this reading “And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.”

Corridor noun US /ˈkɔːrədər/

an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it

From this reading “And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.”

everlasting adjective US /ˌevərˈlæstɪŋ/

continuing forever or indefinitely

From this reading “And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.”

grumbling noun US /ˈɡrʌmbəlɪŋ/

a loud low dull continuous noise

From this reading “And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.”

Lily noun US /ˈlɪli/

any liliaceous plant of the genus Lilium having showy pendulous flowers

From this reading “Poor Lily!”

monotonous adjective US /məˈnɑːtənəs/

tediously repetitious or lacking in variety

From this reading “And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.”

stove noun US /stoʊv/

a kitchen appliance used for cooking food

From this reading “And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.”

theater noun US /ˈθiːətər/

a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

From this reading “And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.”

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.

next week adjective + noun

In this reading “It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.”

on reaching preposition + noun

In this reading “And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.”

for ever preposition + adverb

In this reading “She was Trampy's little wife, his little wife for ever!”

All words in this reading · 89

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.

10.17

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

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

11.10

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

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

8.30

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

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

9.5

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

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

accordingadjectiveUS /əˈkɔːrdɪŋ/

(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

angernounUS /ˈæŋɡər/

a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.

commonadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmən/

belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

consultedverbUS /kənˈsʌltəd/

past form of “consult” — get or ask advice from

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

CorridornounUS /ˈkɔːrədər/

an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

dulladjectiveUS /dʌl/

lacking in liveliness or animation

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

emnounUS /em/

a quad with a square body

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

EnglandnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlənd/

a division of the United Kingdom

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading She was Trampy's little wife, his little wife for ever!

everlastingadjectiveUS /ˌevərˈlæstɪŋ/

continuing forever or indefinitely

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

fixedadjectiveUS /fɪkst/

(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/

past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading She was Trampy's little wife, his little wife for ever!

GardennounUS /ˈɡɑːrdən/

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

grumblingnounUS /ˈɡrʌmbəlɪŋ/

a loud low dull continuous noise

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading She was Trampy's little wife, his little wife for ever!

ill-luck

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

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

LilynounUS /ˈlɪli/

any liliaceous plant of the genus Lilium having showy pendulous flowers

From this reading Poor Lily!

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading She was Trampy's little wife, his little wife for ever!

monotonousadjectiveUS /məˈnɑːtənəs/

tediously repetitious or lacking in variety

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

PalacenounUS /ˈpæləs/

a large and stately mansion

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

playingnounUS /ˈpleɪɪŋ/

the act of playing a musical instrument

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

PooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading Poor Lily!

reachingnounUS /ˈriːtʃɪŋ/

the act of physically reaching or thrusting out

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

red-hotadjective

having strong sexual appeal

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

sayingnounUS /ˈseɪɪŋ/

a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations

From this reading It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.

scene-plot

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

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

seeingnounUS /ˈsiːɪŋ/

perception by means of the eyes

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She was Trampy's little wife, his little wife for ever!

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

stagenounUS /steɪdʒ/

any distinct time period in a sequence of events

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

stovenounUS /stoʊv/

a kitchen appliance used for cooking food

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

successnounUS /səkˈses/

an event that accomplishes its intended purpose

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

theaternounUS /ˈθiːətər/

a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

Trampy

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

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

Trampy's

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

From this reading She was Trampy's little wife, his little wife for ever!

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She was Trampy's little wife, his little wife for ever!

weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

Wheel-Pad

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

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

wifenounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading She was Trampy's little wife, his little wife for ever!

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading And for Trampy it was an everlasting grumbling at his ill-luck, a dull anger at "playing 'em in," so sure was he of seeing his name first, always--"Garden, 8.30, Trampy Wheel-Pad"--he who had had such a success in England with his red-hot stove.

WoodnounUS /wʊd/

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.

wouldn't

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

From this reading It was no use his saying to himself that it wouldn't last, that it would be better next week.

XnounUS /eks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

YnounUS /waɪ/

a silvery metallic element that is common in rare-earth minerals; used in magnesium and aluminum alloys

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

ZnounUS /ziː/

the ending of a series or sequence

From this reading And life, monotonous and common, followed its usual course: a week here, a week there; and the theater every night at the fixed time, according to the scene-plot which they went and consulted on reaching the stage: "X, Corridor, 9.5; Z, Wood, 10.17; Y, Palace, 11.10," and so on.

Chapter 8 of The Bill-Toppers by J. André Castaigne holds 305 sentences, grouped into 61 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 8 of The Bill-Toppers contain?

Chapter 8 holds 305 sentences of The Bill-Toppers, unabridged, divided into 61 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of The Bill-Toppers by J. André Castaigne exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 305 sentences, grouped into 61 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 8 of The Bill-Toppers?

Work through the 61 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 61 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 8 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading The Bill-Toppers

Common questions about reading The Bill-Toppers by J. André Castaigne on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Bill-Toppers?

Yes. All 6921 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26242 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Bill-Toppers is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #26242, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Bill-Toppers take to read?

About 576 minutes of reading across 1385 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Bill-Toppers section by section

How to work through The Bill-Toppers section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 20 chapters of The Bill-Toppers 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 The Bill-Toppers

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Bill-Toppers, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Around
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bill-Toppers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stretched
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bill-Toppers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Great
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bill-Toppers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bengal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bill-Toppers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.