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The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02
The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02 is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Captain Ransome, it is not permitted to you to know _anything_.
It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.
If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.
Do I make myself understood, sir?"
"Nothing could be plainer.
0:00 / 0:00
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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 Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02 is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Captain Ransome, it is not permitted to you to know _anything_.
Line 2
It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.
Line 3
If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.
/ɪf juː pərˈsiːv ˈeni ˈmuːvmənt ʌv truːps ɪn jɔːr frʌnt juː ɑːr tuː ˈoʊ.pən ˈfaɪər ənd ɪf əˈtækt hoʊld ðɪs pəˈzɪʃən æz lɔːŋ æz juː kæn/
Line 4
Do I make myself understood, sir?"
/duː aɪ meɪk ˌmaɪˈself ˌʌndərˈstʊd sɜːr/
Line 5
"Nothing could be plainer.
/ˈnʌθɪŋ kʊd biː ˈpleɪnər/

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.

attacked verb US /əˈtækt/

past form of “attack” — launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with

From this reading “If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.”

obey verb US /oʊˈbeɪ/

be obedient to

From this reading “It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.”

perceive verb US /pərˈsiːv/

to become aware of through the senses

From this reading “If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.”

permit noun US /pərˈmɪt/

a legal document giving official permission to do something

From this reading “It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.”

permitted verb US /pərˈmɪtɪd/

inflected form of “permit” — consent to, give permission

From this reading “"Captain Ransome, it is not permitted to you to know _anything_.”

plainer adjective US /ˈpleɪnər/

comparative of “plain” — clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading “"Nothing could be plainer.”

repeat verb US /rɪˈpiːt/

to say, state, or perform again

From this reading “It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.”

troops noun US /truːps/

soldiers collectively

From this reading “If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.”

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 If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading "Captain Ransome, it is not permitted to you to know _anything_.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

attackedverbUS /əˈtækt/

past form of “attack” — launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading "Nothing could be plainer.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

CaptainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading "Captain Ransome, it is not permitted to you to know _anything_.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading "Nothing could be plainer.

Doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Do I make myself understood, sir?"

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

holdverbUS /hoʊld/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Do I make myself understood, sir?"

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "Captain Ransome, it is not permitted to you to know _anything_.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "Captain Ransome, it is not permitted to you to know _anything_.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading "Captain Ransome, it is not permitted to you to know _anything_.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Do I make myself understood, sir?"

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.

movementnounUS /ˈmuːvmənt/

a change of position that does not entail a change of location

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading Do I make myself understood, sir?"

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "Captain Ransome, it is not permitted to you to know _anything_.

NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading "Nothing could be plainer.

obeyverbUS /oʊˈbeɪ/

be obedient to

From this reading It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.

perceiveverbUS /pərˈsiːv/

to become aware of through the senses

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

permitnounUS /pərˈmɪt/

a legal document giving official permission to do something

From this reading It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.

permittedverbUS /pərˈmɪtɪd/

inflected form of “permit” — consent to, give permission

From this reading "Captain Ransome, it is not permitted to you to know _anything_.

plaineradjectiveUS /ˈpleɪnər/

comparative of “plain” — clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading "Nothing could be plainer.

positionnounUS /pəˈzɪʃən/

the particular portion of space occupied by something

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

Ransome

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

From this reading "Captain Ransome, it is not permitted to you to know _anything_.

repeatverbUS /rɪˈpiːt/

to say, state, or perform again

From this reading It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.

sirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading Do I make myself understood, sir?"

sufficientadjectiveUS /səˈfɪʃənt/

of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant

From this reading It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Captain Ransome, it is not permitted to you to know _anything_.

troopsnounUS /truːps/

soldiers collectively

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

understoodadjectiveUS /ˌʌndərˈstʊd/

fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation

From this reading Do I make myself understood, sir?"

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading It is sufficient that you obey my order--which permit me to repeat.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Captain Ransome, it is not permitted to you to know _anything_.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading If you perceive any movement of troops in your front you are to open fire, and if attacked hold this position as long as you can.

Chapter 5 of The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02 by Ambrose Bierce holds 405 sentences, grouped into 81 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 5 of The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02 contain?

Chapter 5 holds 405 sentences of The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02 by Ambrose Bierce exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 405 sentences, grouped into 81 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 5 of The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02?

Work through the 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 81 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02

Common questions about reading The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02 by Ambrose Bierce on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02?

Yes. All 3636 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13334 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #13334, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02 take to read?

About 303 minutes of reading across 728 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02 section by section

How to work through The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Denied
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Existence
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chief
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Publishing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce — Volume 02; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.