Chapter 13 of The Chessmen of Mars is here in full — 202 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XIII
Chapter 13 of The Chessmen of Mars is here in full — 202 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder. "Stand!" he commanded. Tara struck his hand from her and rising, backed away. "Lay not your hand upon the person of a princess of Helium, beast!" she warned. E-Med laughed.
Chapter 13 of The Chessmen of Mars is here in full — 202 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/40 · 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 a back or backing, usually of a specified type
From this reading “Tara struck his hand from her and rising, backed away.”
past form of “command” — be in command of
From this reading “"Stand!" he commanded.”
a legal document signed and sealed and delivered to effect a transfer of property and to show the legal right to possess it
From this reading “A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.”
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading “A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.”
a very light colorless element that is one of the six inert gasses; the most difficult gas to liquefy; occurs in economically extractable amounts in certain natural gases (as those found in Texas and Kansas)
From this reading “A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.”
(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
From this reading “A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.”
a village in eastern Ireland (northwest of Dublin); seat of Irish kings until 6th century
From this reading “A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.”
past form of “warn” — notify of danger, potential harm, or risk
From this reading “"Lay not your hand upon the person of a princess of Helium, beast!" she warned.”
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 A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Tara struck his hand from her and rising, backed away.
having a back or backing, usually of a specified type
From this reading Tara struck his hand from her and rising, backed away.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading "Lay not your hand upon the person of a princess of Helium, beast!" she warned.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
past form of “command” — be in command of
From this reading "Stand!" he commanded.
placed crosswise
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
a legal document signed and sealed and delivered to effect a transfer of property and to show the legal right to possess it
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Tara struck his hand from her and rising, backed away.
a young female
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Tara struck his hand from her and rising, backed away.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
a very light colorless element that is one of the six inert gasses; the most difficult gas to liquefy; occurs in economically extractable amounts in certain natural gases (as those found in Texas and Kansas)
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Tara struck his hand from her and rising, backed away.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Tara struck his hand from her and rising, backed away.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading E-Med laughed.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading "Lay not your hand upon the person of a princess of Helium, beast!" she warned.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Lay not your hand upon the person of a princess of Helium, beast!" she warned.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
a human being
From this reading "Lay not your hand upon the person of a princess of Helium, beast!" she warned.
The daughter of a monarch; a female member of a royal family.
From this reading "Lay not your hand upon the person of a princess of Helium, beast!" she warned.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading Tara struck his hand from her and rising, backed away.
(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
past form of “seize” — take hold of; grab
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Lay not your hand upon the person of a princess of Helium, beast!" she warned.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
a person who is owned by someone
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
be standing; be upright
From this reading "Stand!" he commanded.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading Tara struck his hand from her and rising, backed away.
a village in eastern Ireland (northwest of Dublin); seat of Irish kings until 6th century
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
in the direction of
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
From this reading A DESPERATE DEED E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading "Lay not your hand upon the person of a princess of Helium, beast!" she warned.
past form of “warn” — notify of danger, potential harm, or risk
From this reading "Lay not your hand upon the person of a princess of Helium, beast!" she warned.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Lay not your hand upon the person of a princess of Helium, beast!" she warned.
Chapter 13 of The Chessmen of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs holds 202 sentences, grouped into 41 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 13 holds 202 sentences of The Chessmen of Mars, unabridged, divided into 41 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 13 of The Chessmen of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 202 sentences, grouped into 41 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 41 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 41 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 13 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 Chessmen of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4587 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1153 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1153, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 382 minutes of reading across 918 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Chessmen of Mars section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 22 chapters of The Chessmen of Mars 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 Chessmen of Mars, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
