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The Blood of the Arena
The Blood of the Arena

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Blood of the Arena is here in full — 241 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Blood of the Arena
Context Illustration Reading 1/48 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.
He must get _close_!
And the next morning the resolution was firmly rooted in his mind.
He _would_ get close, and astound the public by his brave deeds.
Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.
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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 Blood of the Arena

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Blood of the Arena is here in full — 241 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/48 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.
Line 2
He must get _close_!
/hiː mʌst ɡet kloʊs/
Line 3
And the next morning the resolution was firmly rooted in his mind.
/ənd ðə nekst ˈmɔːrnɪŋ ðə ˌrezəˈluːʃən wɑːz ˈfɜːrmli ˈruːtəd ɪn hɪz maɪnd/
Line 4
He _would_ get close, and astound the public by his brave deeds.
/hiː wʊd ɡet kloʊs ənd əˈstaʊnd ðə ˈpʌblɪk baɪ hɪz breɪv diːdz/
Line 5
Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.
/sʌtʃ wɑːz hɪz ˈmetəl ðæt hiː went tuː ðə ˈplɑːzə friː frʌm ðə ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃəs fɪrz ʌv ˈfɔːrmər taɪmz/

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.

astound verb US /əˈstaʊnd/

affect with wonder

From this reading “He _would_ get close, and astound the public by his brave deeds.”

deeds noun US /diːdz/

performance of moral or religious acts

From this reading “He _would_ get close, and astound the public by his brave deeds.”

dominant adjective US /ˈdɑːmənənt/

exercising influence or control

From this reading “"THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.”

floated verb US /ˈfloʊtəd/

past form of “float” — be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading “"THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.”

mettle noun US /ˈmetəl/

the courage to carry on

From this reading “Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.”

plaza noun US /ˈplɑːzə/

a public square with room for pedestrians

From this reading “Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.”

rooted adjective US /ˈruːtəd/

absolutely still

From this reading “And the next morning the resolution was firmly rooted in his mind.”

superstitious adjective US /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃəs/

showing ignorance of the laws of nature and faith in magic or chance

From this reading “Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.”

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 morning adjective + noun

In this reading “And the next morning the resolution was firmly rooted in his mind.”

brave deeds adjective + noun

In this reading “He _would_ get close, and astound the public by his brave deeds.”

former times adjective + noun

In this reading “Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.”

free from verb + particle

In this reading “Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.”

floated over verb + particle counted as “float over”

In this reading “"THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.”

IN THE WORLD preposition + article + noun counted as “in … world”

In this reading “"THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.”

whole night adjective + noun

In this reading “"THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.”

fears of verb + particle counted as “fear of”

In this reading “Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.”

All words in this reading · 49

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.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And the next morning the resolution was firmly rooted in his mind.

astoundverbUS /əˈstaʊnd/

affect with wonder

From this reading He _would_ get close, and astound the public by his brave deeds.

braveadjectiveUS /breɪv/

possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching

From this reading He _would_ get close, and astound the public by his brave deeds.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He _would_ get close, and astound the public by his brave deeds.

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading He must get _close_!

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

deedsnounUS /diːdz/

performance of moral or religious acts

From this reading He _would_ get close, and astound the public by his brave deeds.

dominantadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːmənənt/

exercising influence or control

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

dreamsnounUS /driːmz/

plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

DuringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

fearsnounUS /fɪrz/

plural of “fear” — an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)

From this reading Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.

firmlyadverbUS /ˈfɜːrmli/

with resolute determination

From this reading And the next morning the resolution was firmly rooted in his mind.

floatedverbUS /ˈfloʊtəd/

past form of “float” — be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

formeradjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmər/

referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)

From this reading Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.

freeverbUS /friː/

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.

Gallardo's

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

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading He must get _close_!

GREATESTadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtəst/

highest in quality

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He must get _close_!

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading And the next morning the resolution was firmly rooted in his mind.

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

lakenounUS /leɪk/

a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

MANnounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

mettlenounUS /ˈmetəl/

the courage to carry on

From this reading Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading And the next morning the resolution was firmly rooted in his mind.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading And the next morning the resolution was firmly rooted in his mind.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading He must get _close_!

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading And the next morning the resolution was firmly rooted in his mind.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

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

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

plazanounUS /ˈplɑːzə/

a public square with room for pedestrians

From this reading Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.

publicnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading He _would_ get close, and astound the public by his brave deeds.

resolutionnounUS /ˌrezəˈluːʃən/

a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote

From this reading And the next morning the resolution was firmly rooted in his mind.

rootedadjectiveUS /ˈruːtəd/

absolutely still

From this reading And the next morning the resolution was firmly rooted in his mind.

SuchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.

superstitiousadjectiveUS /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃəs/

showing ignorance of the laws of nature and faith in magic or chance

From this reading Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading And the next morning the resolution was firmly rooted in his mind.

wentverbUS /went/

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

From this reading Such was his mettle that he went to the plaza free from the superstitious fears of former times.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

WORLDnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading "THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD" During the whole night one dominant thought floated over the dark lake of Gallardo's dreams.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading He _would_ get close, and astound the public by his brave deeds.

Chapter 16 of The Blood of the Arena by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez holds 241 sentences, grouped into 49 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 16 of The Blood of the Arena contain?

Chapter 16 holds 241 sentences of The Blood of the Arena, unabridged, divided into 49 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of The Blood of the Arena by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 241 sentences, grouped into 49 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 16 of The Blood of the Arena?

Work through the 49 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 49 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 16 be read aloud to me?

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.

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.