Chapter 8 of The Curved Blades is here in full — 445 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of The Curved Blades is here in full — 445 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"But not of a _reptilian_ nature?" "No, she had never done such a thing before." "Did she give no reason for the request? Make no apology or explanation?" "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
Chapter 8 of The Curved Blades is here in full — 445 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/89 · 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.
an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone
From this reading “Make no apology or explanation?"”
a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
From this reading “Make no apology or explanation?"”
a native or inhabitant of Japan
From this reading “"No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.”
any cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia including tortoises, turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, and extinct forms
express the need or desire for
From this reading “"Did she give no reason for the request?”
do one's shopping
From this reading “"No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.”
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading “"No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.”
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading “"No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.”
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.
In this reading “"No, she had never done such a thing before."”
In this reading “"No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.”
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 "But not of a _reptilian_ nature?"
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone
From this reading Make no apology or explanation?"
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "No, she had never done such a thing before."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But not of a _reptilian_ nature?"
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "Did she give no reason for the request?
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading "No, she had never done such a thing before."
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
From this reading Make no apology or explanation?"
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Did she give no reason for the request?
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "Did she give no reason for the request?
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "No, she had never done such a thing before."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
a native or inhabitant of Japan
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
and nothing more
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
the act of departing
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
engage in
From this reading Make no apology or explanation?"
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading "But not of a _reptilian_ nature?"
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "No, she had never done such a thing before."
not any; not one
From this reading "No, she had never done such a thing before."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "But not of a _reptilian_ nature?"
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "But not of a _reptilian_ nature?"
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Make no apology or explanation?"
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading "Did she give no reason for the request?
any cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia including tortoises, turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, and extinct forms
From this reading "But not of a _reptilian_ nature?"
express the need or desire for
From this reading "Did she give no reason for the request?
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "No, she had never done such a thing before."
do one's shopping
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading "No, she had never done such a thing before."
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Did she give no reason for the request?
a special situation
From this reading "No, she had never done such a thing before."
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
at the time that
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "No. I was just leaving her, when she called me back, and said, 'Won't you stop in at some Japanese shop, and get me a paper snake?' and I exclaimed in surprise at the request.
Chapter 8 of The Curved Blades by Carolyn Wells holds 445 sentences, grouped into 89 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 8 holds 445 sentences of The Curved Blades, unabridged, divided into 89 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of The Curved Blades by Carolyn Wells exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 445 sentences, grouped into 89 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 89 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 89 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 8 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 Curved Blades by Carolyn Wells on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5105 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #45622 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #45622, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 425 minutes of reading across 1021 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Curved Blades section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 12 chapters of The Curved Blades 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 Curved Blades, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
