Chapter 2 of The Children's Book of Stars is here in full — 61 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of The Children's Book of Stars is here in full — 61 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens? It falls to the ground, of course. Now, why should it do so? You will say: 'How could it do anything else?' But that is only because you are hampered by custom.
Chapter 2 of The Children's Book of Stars is here in full — 61 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/12 · 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.
accepted or habitual practice
From this reading “But that is only because you are hampered by custom.”
the petals or sepals of a flower that bend downward (especially the outer perianth of an iris)
From this reading “It falls to the ground, of course.”
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading “It falls to the ground, of course.”
past form of “hamper” — prevent the progress or free movement of
From this reading “But that is only because you are hampered by custom.”
decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window
From this reading “HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?”
third-person singular of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading “HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?”
the act of retaining something
From this reading “HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?”
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading “HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?”
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 to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
any thing at all
From this reading You will say: 'How could it do anything else?'
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
for the reason that
From this reading But that is only because you are hampered by custom.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But that is only because you are hampered by custom.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But that is only because you are hampered by custom.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading You will say: 'How could it do anything else?'
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading It falls to the ground, of course.
accepted or habitual practice
From this reading But that is only because you are hampered by custom.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Now, why should it do so?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You will say: 'How could it do anything else?'
the petals or sepals of a flower that bend downward (especially the outer perianth of an iris)
From this reading It falls to the ground, of course.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading It falls to the ground, of course.
past form of “hamper” — prevent the progress or free movement of
From this reading But that is only because you are hampered by custom.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
third-person singular of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
the act of retaining something
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You will say: 'How could it do anything else?'
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But that is only because you are hampered by custom.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, why should it do so?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It falls to the ground, of course.
and nothing more
From this reading But that is only because you are hampered by custom.
express in words
From this reading You will say: 'How could it do anything else?'
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Now, why should it do so?
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Now, why should it do so?
a thing, without saying which
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But that is only because you are hampered by custom.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It falls to the ground, of course.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It falls to the ground, of course.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Now, why should it do so?
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading You will say: 'How could it do anything else?'
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading HANGING IN SPACE If you are holding something in your hand and you let it go, what happens?
Chapter 2 of The Children's Book of Stars by G. E. (Geraldine Edith) Mitton holds 61 sentences, grouped into 13 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 2 holds 61 sentences of The Children's Book of Stars, unabridged, divided into 13 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of The Children's Book of Stars by G. E. (Geraldine Edith) Mitton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 61 sentences, grouped into 13 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 13 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 13 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 2 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 Children's Book of Stars by G. E. (Geraldine Edith) Mitton on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1469 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28853 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #28853, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 122 minutes of reading across 294 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Children's Book of Stars section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 16 chapters of The Children's Book of Stars 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 Children's Book of Stars, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
