Chapter 2 of The Cosmic Computer is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of The Cosmic Computer is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"There never was one. I was going to tell them, but you saw them. I couldn't." "You're sure of it?" "The whole thing's a myth.
Chapter 2 of The Cosmic Computer 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
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.
the act of departing
From this reading “I was going to tell them, but you saw them.”
a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people
From this reading “"The whole thing's a myth.”
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading “"There never was one.”
cut with a saw
From this reading “I was going to tell them, but you saw them.”
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading “"You're sure of it?"”
express in words
From this reading “I was going to tell them, but you saw them.”
possessive form of “thing” — a special situation
From this reading “"The whole thing's a myth.”
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading “"The whole thing's a myth.”
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 "The whole thing's a myth.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I was going to tell them, but you saw them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I couldn't."
the act of departing
From this reading I was going to tell them, but you saw them.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I was going to tell them, but you saw them.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "You're sure of it?"
a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people
From this reading "The whole thing's a myth.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "There never was one.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "You're sure of it?"
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "There never was one.
cut with a saw
From this reading I was going to tell them, but you saw them.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading "You're sure of it?"
express in words
From this reading I was going to tell them, but you saw them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "The whole thing's a myth.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I was going to tell them, but you saw them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "There never was one.
possessive form of “thing” — a special situation
From this reading "The whole thing's a myth.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I was going to tell them, but you saw them.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "There never was one.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading "The whole thing's a myth.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I was going to tell them, but you saw them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You're sure of it?"
Chapter 2 of The Cosmic Computer by H. Beam Piper 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.
Chapter 2 holds 405 sentences of The Cosmic Computer, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of The Cosmic Computer by H. Beam Piper 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.
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.
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 Cosmic Computer by H. Beam Piper on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4811 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20727 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #20727, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 400 minutes of reading across 963 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Cosmic Computer section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 12 chapters of The Cosmic Computer 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 Cosmic Computer, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
