Chapter 16 of The blind lion of the Congo is here in full — 210 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVI
Chapter 16 of The blind lion of the Congo is here in full — 210 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted. But it hasn't lasted. We can't do it." "Sure we can!" returned Critch hopefully. "Why not?"
Chapter 16 of The blind lion of the Congo is here in full — 210 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/42 · 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 no one else present.
From this reading “BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.”
expletives used informally as intensifiers
From this reading “BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.”
English psychologist whose studies of twins were later said to have used fabricated data (1883-1971)
From this reading “BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.”
with hope; in a hopeful manner
From this reading “"Sure we can!" returned Critch hopefully.”
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading “BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.”
past form of “last” — persist for a specified period of time
From this reading “BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.”
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading “"Sure we can!" returned Critch hopefully.”
happening unexpectedly
From this reading “BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.”
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.
In this reading “BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.”
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 BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
Having no one else present.
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
expletives used informally as intensifiers
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
English psychologist whose studies of twins were later said to have used fabricated data (1883-1971)
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it hasn't lasted.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Sure we can!" returned Critch hopefully.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We can't do it."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading We can't do it."
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But it hasn't lasted.
with hope; in a hopeful manner
From this reading "Sure we can!" returned Critch hopefully.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
past form of “last” — persist for a specified period of time
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Why not?"
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading "Sure we can!" returned Critch hopefully.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading "Sure we can!" returned Critch hopefully.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We can't do it."
during the time that
From this reading BURT LEFT ALONE "Critch," said Burt suddenly, "that was a blamed good idea while it lasted.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why not?"
Chapter 16 of The blind lion of the Congo by Elliott Whitney holds 210 sentences, grouped into 42 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 16 holds 210 sentences of The blind lion of the Congo, unabridged, divided into 42 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 16 of The blind lion of the Congo by Elliott Whitney exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 210 sentences, grouped into 42 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 42 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 42 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 16 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 blind lion of the Congo by Elliott Whitney on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3820 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #32508 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #32508, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 318 minutes of reading across 764 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The blind lion of the Congo section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 20 chapters of The blind lion of the Congo 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 blind lion of the Congo, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
