Chapter 9 of The Cosmic Computer is here in full — 402 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IX
Chapter 9 of The Cosmic Computer is here in full — 402 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice. "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it." "Who showed you where Force Command was?" Klem Zareff asked. Nobody could think of any good quick comeback to that.
Chapter 9 of The Cosmic Computer is here in full — 402 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/80 · 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.
a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)
From this reading “Nobody could think of any good quick comeback to that.”
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading “"Who showed you where Force Command was?"”
conduct or direct the steering of a ship or plane
From this reading “"It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."”
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading “"Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.”
a cgs unit of magnetic flux equal to the flux perpendicular to an area of 1 square centimeter in a magnetic field of 1 gauss
From this reading “"It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."”
no person; not anyone
From this reading “Nobody could think of any good quick comeback to that.”
past form of “object” — express or raise an objection or protest or criticism or express dissent
From this reading “"Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.”
struck with fear, dread, or consternation
From this reading “"Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.”
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 "Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Nobody could think of any good quick comeback to that.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Klem Zareff asked.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)
From this reading Nobody could think of any good quick comeback to that.
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading "Who showed you where Force Command was?"
conduct or direct the steering of a ship or plane
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Nobody could think of any good quick comeback to that.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading "Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading "Who showed you where Force Command was?"
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Nobody could think of any good quick comeback to that.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Klem Zareff asked.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.
a cgs unit of magnetic flux equal to the flux perpendicular to an area of 1 square centimeter in a magnetic field of 1 gauss
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
no person; not anyone
From this reading Nobody could think of any good quick comeback to that.
past form of “object” — express or raise an objection or protest or criticism or express dissent
From this reading "Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Nobody could think of any good quick comeback to that.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading Nobody could think of any good quick comeback to that.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
express in words
From this reading "Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.
struck with fear, dread, or consternation
From this reading "Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading "Who showed you where Force Command was?"
express in words
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Nobody could think of any good quick comeback to that.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.
a special situation
From this reading "Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading Nobody could think of any good quick comeback to that.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say," Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Who showed you where Force Command was?"
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
in or at the place that
From this reading "Who showed you where Force Command was?"
which person or people
From this reading "Who showed you where Force Command was?"
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "It's a dreadful thing to have to say," Fawzi replied, "but you tell me what Conn Maxwell or Rodney Maxwell are doing to help find it."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Klem Zareff asked.
Chapter 9 of The Cosmic Computer by H. Beam Piper holds 402 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 9 holds 402 sentences of The Cosmic Computer, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 9 of The Cosmic Computer by H. Beam Piper exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 402 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 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.
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.
