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

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of The Clansman is here in full — 135 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Thomas, Jr. Dixon • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Clansman
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.
This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.
It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.
Seven windows opened on the front with black solid-panelled shutters.
The front parlour was scantily furnished.
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 Clansman

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of The Clansman is here in full — 135 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.
/ðə fɜːrst ˈleɪdi ʌv ðə lænd ðə ˈlɪtəl haʊs ɑːn ðə ˈkæpɪtəl hɪl naʊ bɪˈkeɪm ðə ˈsentər ʌv ˈfiːvərd ækˈtɪvəti/
Line 2
This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.
/ðɪs haʊs səˈlektɪd baɪ ɪts ɡrɪm ˈmæstər tuː bɪˈkʌm ðə ɪɡˈzekjətɪv ˈmænʃən ʌv ðə ˈneɪʃən wɑːz pərˈhæps ðə moʊst ˈmɑːdəst ˈstrʌktʃər ˈevər ˈtʃoʊzən fɔːr sʌtʃ haɪ ˈjuːsəz/
Line 3
It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.
Line 4
Seven windows opened on the front with black solid-panelled shutters.
Line 5
The front parlour was scantily furnished.
/ðə frʌnt ˈpɑːrlər wɑːz ˈskæntəli ˈfɜːrnɪʃt/

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.

Capitol noun US /ˈkæpɪtəl/

a building occupied by a state legislature

From this reading “THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
executive noun US /ɪɡˈzekjətɪv/

a person responsible for the administration of a business

From this reading “This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fevered adjective US /ˈfiːvərd/

highly or nervously excited

From this reading “THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
scantily adverb US /ˈskæntəli/

in a skimpy manner

From this reading “The front parlour was scantily furnished.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shutters noun US /ˈʃʌtərz/

plural of “shutter” — a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure

From this reading “Seven windows opened on the front with black solid-panelled shutters.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
structure noun US /ˈstrʌktʃər/

a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts

From this reading “This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
unpretentious adjective US /ˌʌnpriˈtenʃəs/

lacking pretension or affectation

From this reading “It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
uses noun US /ˈjuːsəz/

plural of “use” — the act of using

From this reading “This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

brick building noun + noun

In this reading “It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.”

650 times in 426,211 chapters
front parlour noun + noun

In this reading “The front parlour was scantily furnished.”

304 times in 426,211 chapters
most modest adverb + adjective

In this reading “This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.”

314 times in 426,211 chapters
became the centre verb + article + noun counted as “become … centre”

In this reading “THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.”

285 times in 426,211 chapters
little house adjective + noun

In this reading “THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.”

8,181 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 59

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 It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
activitynounUS /ækˈtɪvəti/

any specific behavior

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
becomeverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
blackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading Seven windows opened on the front with black solid-panelled shutters.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bricknounUS /brɪk/

rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material

From this reading It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
buildingnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋ/

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
CapitolnounUS /ˈkæpɪtəl/

a building occupied by a state legislature

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
centrenounUS /ˈsentər/

a low-lying region in central France

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
chosennounUS /ˈtʃoʊzən/

one who is the object of choice; who is given preference

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
executivenounUS /ɪɡˈzekjətɪv/

a person responsible for the administration of a business

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
feveredadjectiveUS /ˈfiːvərd/

highly or nervously excited

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FIRSTadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading Seven windows opened on the front with black solid-panelled shutters.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
furnishedadjectiveUS /ˈfɜːrnɪʃt/

provided with whatever is necessary for a purpose (as furniture or equipment or authority)

From this reading The front parlour was scantily furnished.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grimadjectiveUS /ɡrɪm/

not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
LADYnounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LANDnounUS /lænd/

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mansionnounUS /ˈmænʃən/

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
masternounUS /ˈmæstər/

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
modestadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːdəst/

marked by simplicity; having a humble opinion of yourself

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NationnounUS /ˈneɪʃən/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/

used of mouth or eyes

From this reading Seven windows opened on the front with black solid-panelled shutters.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
parlournounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/

reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received

From this reading The front parlour was scantily furnished.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
scantilyadverbUS /ˈskæntəli/

in a skimpy manner

From this reading The front parlour was scantily furnished.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
selectedadjectiveUS /səˈlektɪd/

chosen in preference to another

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SevennounUS /ˈsevən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one

From this reading Seven windows opened on the front with black solid-panelled shutters.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shuttersnounUS /ˈʃʌtərz/

plural of “shutter” — a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure

From this reading Seven windows opened on the front with black solid-panelled shutters.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

From this reading It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
solid-panelled

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

From this reading Seven windows opened on the front with black solid-panelled shutters.

Pending verification
stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.

Velmora curated lexicon
streetnounUS /striːt/

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

From this reading It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
structurenounUS /ˈstrʌktʃər/

a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND The little house on the Capitol hill now became the centre of fevered activity.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
two-story

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

From this reading It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.

Pending verification
unpretentiousadjectiveUS /ˌʌnpriˈtenʃəs/

lacking pretension or affectation

From this reading It stood, a small, two-story brick building, in an unpretentious street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
usesnounUS /ˈjuːsəz/

plural of “use” — the act of using

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading This house, selected by its grim master to become the executive mansion of the Nation, was perhaps the most modest structure ever chosen for such high uses.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading Seven windows opened on the front with black solid-panelled shutters.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Seven windows opened on the front with black solid-panelled shutters.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 9 of The Clansman by Thomas, Jr. Dixon holds 135 sentences, grouped into 27 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 9 of The Clansman contain?

Chapter 9 holds 135 sentences of The Clansman, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of The Clansman by Thomas, Jr. Dixon exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 135 sentences, grouped into 27 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 9 of The Clansman?

Work through the 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 27 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 Clansman

Common questions about reading The Clansman by Thomas, Jr. Dixon on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Clansman?

Yes. All 5823 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26240 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Clansman is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #26240, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Clansman take to read?

About 485 minutes of reading across 1165 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Clansman section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Clansman 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 Clansman

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Clansman, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Illustrations
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Clansman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Shown
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Clansman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Edition
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Clansman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Reproductions
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Clansman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.