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The Crossing

Chapter XXXVII · Chapter 37

Chapter 37 of The Crossing is here in full — 611 sentences across 123 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Winston Churchill • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for The Crossing

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

I knew by the light that it was evening when I awoke.

So prisoners mark the passing of the days by a bar of sun light.

And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

It was Nick.

“You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

Narrator

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.

Chapter XXXVII Reading 1/122

The Crossing

Chapter XXXVII · Chapter 37

Chapter 37 of The Crossing is here in full — 611 sentences across 123 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/122 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

I knew by the light that it was evening when I awoke.

Line 2

So prisoners mark the passing of the days by a bar of sun light.

Line 3

And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

Line 4

It was Nick.

Line 5

“You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

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.

Courtyard noun US /ˈkɔːrt.jɑːrd/

An unroofed area that is completely or partially enclosed by the walls of a house.

From this reading “And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.”

Stood verb US /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading “And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.”

All words in this reading · 55

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.

a

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

From this reading So prisoners mark the passing of the days by a bar of sun light.

And

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

as

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

at

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

awoke

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

From this reading I knew by the light that it was evening when I awoke.

bar

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

From this reading So prisoners mark the passing of the days by a bar of sun light.

be

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

been

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

by

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

From this reading I knew by the light that it was evening when I awoke.

came

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

cheerful

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

courtyardnounUS /ˈkɔːrt.jɑːrd/

An unroofed area that is completely or partially enclosed by the walls of a house.

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

days

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

From this reading So prisoners mark the passing of the days by a bar of sun light.

don't

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

doorway

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

evening

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

From this reading I knew by the light that it was evening when I awoke.

fire

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

green

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

has

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

he

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

I

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

From this reading I knew by the light that it was evening when I awoke.

in

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

it

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

From this reading I knew by the light that it was evening when I awoke.

knew

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

From this reading I knew by the light that it was evening when I awoke.

light

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

From this reading I knew by the light that it was evening when I awoke.

looked

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

man

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

mark

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

From this reading So prisoners mark the passing of the days by a bar of sun light.

Nick

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

From this reading It was Nick.

not

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

of

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

From this reading So prisoners mark the passing of the days by a bar of sun light.

one

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

ought

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

out

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

passing

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

From this reading So prisoners mark the passing of the days by a bar of sun light.

prisoners

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

From this reading So prisoners mark the passing of the days by a bar of sun light.

said

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

seem

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

snatched

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

So

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

From this reading So prisoners mark the passing of the days by a bar of sun light.

some

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

sun

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

From this reading So prisoners mark the passing of the days by a bar of sun light.

that

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

From this reading I knew by the light that it was evening when I awoke.

the

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

From this reading I knew by the light that it was evening when I awoke.

to

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

trees

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

troubled

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

vaguely

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

very

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

was

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

From this reading I knew by the light that it was evening when I awoke.

what

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

From this reading And as I looked at the green trees in the courtyard, vaguely troubled by I knew not what, some one came and stood in the doorway.

when

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

From this reading I knew by the light that it was evening when I awoke.

who

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

You

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

From this reading “You don’t seem very cheerful,” said he; “a man ought to be who has been snatched out of the fire.”

Chapter 37 of The Crossing by Winston Churchill holds 611 sentences, grouped into 123 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 37 of The Crossing contain?

Chapter 37 holds 611 sentences of The Crossing, unabridged, divided into 123 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 37 of The Crossing by Winston Churchill exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 611 sentences, grouped into 123 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 37 of The Crossing?

Work through the 123 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 123 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 37 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 37 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 Crossing

Common questions about reading The Crossing by Winston Churchill on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Crossing?

Yes. All 13346 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #388 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Crossing is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #388, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Crossing take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2670 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Crossing section by section

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

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 38 chapters of The Crossing to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Crossing

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

Under: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Crossing; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ridge: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Crossing; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Evening: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Crossing; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Light: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Crossing; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.