Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Blood of the Arena
The Blood of the Arena

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Blood of the Arena is here in full — 348 sentences across 70 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Blood of the Arena
Context Illustration Reading 1/69 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.
"He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.
"He must be seen on classic ground."
This ground for them and for the Little Cobbler was the ring of the plaza at Seville.
The boy was soon to find himself face to face with the real thing.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Blood of the Arena

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Blood of the Arena is here in full — 348 sentences across 70 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/69 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.
Line 2
"He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.
Line 3
"He must be seen on classic ground."
/hiː mʌst biː siːn ɑːn ˈklæsɪk ɡraʊnd/
Line 4
This ground for them and for the Little Cobbler was the ring of the plaza at Seville.
/ðɪs ɡraʊnd fɔːr ðem ənd fɔːr ðə ˈlɪtəl ˈkɑːblər wɑːz ðə rɪŋ ʌv ðə ˈplɑːzə æt səˈvɪl/
Line 5
The boy was soon to find himself face to face with the real thing.
/ðə bɔɪ wɑːz suːn tuː faɪnd hɪmˈself feɪs tuː feɪs wɪð ðə riːl θɪŋ/

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.

amateurs noun US /ˈæmətɜːrz/

plural of “amateur” — someone who pursues a study or sport as a pastime

From this reading “AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.”

arrogantly adverb US /ˈerəɡəntli/

in an arrogant manner

From this reading “"He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.”

Cobbler noun US /ˈkɑːblər/

a person who makes or repairs shoes

From this reading “This ground for them and for the Little Cobbler was the ring of the plaza at Seville.”

eclipse verb US /ɪˈklɪps/

be greater in significance than

From this reading “AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.”

heralded adjective US /ˈherəldɪd/

publicly announced

From this reading “AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.”

insatiable adjective US /ˌɪnˈseɪʃəbəl/

impossible to satisfy

From this reading “AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.”

luminary noun US /ˈluːməneri/

a celebrity who is an inspiration to others

From this reading “AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.”

Seville noun US /səˈvɪl/

a city in southwestern Spain; a major port and cultural center; the capital of bullfighting in Spain

From this reading “AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.”

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.

real thing adjective + noun

informal usage attributing authenticity

In this reading “The boy was soon to find himself face to face with the real thing.”

pass along verb + particle

transmit information

In this reading “"He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.”

already discovered adverb + adjective

In this reading “AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.”

young bulls adjective + noun counted as “young bull”

In this reading “AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.”

on seeing preposition + noun

In this reading “"He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.”

All words in this reading · 75

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 AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

amateursnounUS /ˈæmətɜːrz/

plural of “amateur” — someone who pursues a study or sport as a pastime

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

arrogantlyadverbUS /ˈerəɡəntli/

in an arrogant manner

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading "He must be seen on classic ground."

boynounUS /bɔɪ/

a youthful male person

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

bullsnounUS /bʊlz/

plural of “bull” — uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

CARMEN'S

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

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

causedverbUS /kɑːzd/

past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

certainlyadverbUS /ˈsɜːrtənli/

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

classicnounUS /ˈklæsɪk/

a creation of the highest excellence

From this reading "He must be seen on classic ground."

CobblernounUS /ˈkɑːblər/

a person who makes or repairs shoes

From this reading This ground for them and for the Little Cobbler was the ring of the plaza at Seville.

discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

eclipseverbUS /ɪˈklɪps/

be greater in significance than

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading The boy was soon to find himself face to face with the real thing.

fightingnounUS /ˈfaɪtɪŋ/

the act of fighting; any contest or struggle

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading The boy was soon to find himself face to face with the real thing.

fixverbUS /fɪks/

restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading This ground for them and for the Little Cobbler was the ring of the plaza at Seville.

Gallardo's

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

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading "He must be seen on classic ground."

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

heraldedadjectiveUS /ˈherəldɪd/

publicly announced

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading The boy was soon to find himself face to face with the real thing.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

insatiableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈseɪʃəbəl/

impossible to satisfy

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

LittleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading This ground for them and for the Little Cobbler was the ring of the plaza at Seville.

luminarynounUS /ˈluːməneri/

a celebrity who is an inspiration to others

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading "He must be seen on classic ground."

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

passverbUS /pæs/

go across or through

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

plazanounUS /ˈplɑːzə/

a public square with room for pedestrians

From this reading This ground for them and for the Little Cobbler was the ring of the plaza at Seville.

promiseverbUS /ˈprɑːməs/

make a promise or commitment

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

prowessnounUS /ˈpraʊəs/

a superior skill that you can learn by study and practice and observation

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

pueblos

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

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading The boy was soon to find himself face to face with the real thing.

restlessadjectiveUS /ˈrestləs/

worried and uneasy

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

ringverbUS /rɪŋ/

sound loudly and sonorously

From this reading This ground for them and for the Little Cobbler was the ring of the plaza at Seville.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

seeingnounUS /ˈsiːɪŋ/

perception by means of the eyes

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

seekingnounUS /ˈsiːkɪŋ/

the act of searching for something

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading "He must be seen on classic ground."

SevillenounUS /səˈvɪl/

a city in southwestern Spain; a major port and cultural center; the capital of bullfighting in Spain

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

Sierpes

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

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading The boy was soon to find himself face to face with the real thing.

stepnounUS /step/

any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

StreetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

swingingnounUS /ˈswɪŋɪŋ/

changing location by moving back and forth

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading This ground for them and for the Little Cobbler was the ring of the plaza at Seville.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading The boy was soon to find himself face to face with the real thing.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This ground for them and for the Little Cobbler was the ring of the plaza at Seville.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

usedadjectiveUS /juːzd/

employed in accomplishing something

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading This ground for them and for the Little Cobbler was the ring of the plaza at Seville.

WINDOW-GRILLE

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

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

wonderfuladjectiveUS /ˈwʌndərfəl/

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading "He certainly is a boy of wonderful promise," they used to say, on seeing him pass along Sierpes Street with short step, swinging his arms arrogantly.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading AT CARMEN'S WINDOW-GRILLE Gallardo's prowess in fighting young bulls in the _pueblos_, heralded in Seville, caused the restless and insatiable amateurs, ever seeking a new luminary to eclipse those already discovered, to fix their attention upon him.

Chapter 4 of The Blood of the Arena by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez holds 348 sentences, grouped into 70 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 4 of The Blood of the Arena contain?

Chapter 4 holds 348 sentences of The Blood of the Arena, unabridged, divided into 70 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Blood of the Arena by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 348 sentences, grouped into 70 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 4 of The Blood of the Arena?

Work through the 70 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 70 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 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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 Blood of the Arena

Common questions about reading The Blood of the Arena by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Blood of the Arena?

Yes. All 5854 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33799 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Blood of the Arena is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #33799, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Blood of the Arena take to read?

About 487 minutes of reading across 1171 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Blood of the Arena section by section

How to work through The Blood of the Arena section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 17 chapters of The Blood of the Arena 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 Blood of the Arena

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Blood of the Arena, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Public
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Blood of the Arena; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Gallardo
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Blood of the Arena; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Breakfasted
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Blood of the Arena; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Early
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Blood of the Arena; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.