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The Dark Star
The Dark Star

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of The Dark Star is here in full — 216 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Dark Star
Context Illustration Reading 1/43 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.
Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.
"Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.
So I won't bowstring you or cut off your unusually attractive head!
No!
0:00 / 0:00
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.

The Dark Star

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of The Dark Star is here in full — 216 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/43 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.
Line 2
Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.
Line 3
"Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.
Line 4
So I won't bowstring you or cut off your unusually attractive head!
Line 5
No!
/noʊ/

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.

employee noun US /emˈplɔɪi/

a worker who is hired to perform a job

From this reading “SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.”

entertaining adjective US /ˌentərˈteɪnɪŋ/

agreeably diverting

From this reading “"Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.”

garage noun US /ɡərˈɑːʒ/

an outbuilding (or part of a building) for housing automobiles

From this reading “SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.”

leisurely adverb US /ˈliːzərli/

in an unhurried way or at one's convenience

From this reading “Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.”

Mills noun US /mɪlz/

United States architect who was the presidentially appointed architect of Washington D.C. (1781-1855)

From this reading “SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.”

sidewalk noun US /ˈsaɪdwɔːk/

walk consisting of a paved area for pedestrians; usually beside a street or roadway

From this reading “Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.”

suitcase noun US /ˈsuːtkeɪs/

a portable rectangular container for carrying clothes

From this reading “SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.”

teller noun US /ˈtelər/

United States physicist (born in Hungary) who worked on the first atom bomb and the first hydrogen bomb (1908-2003)

From this reading “"Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.”

All words in this reading · 84

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.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

attractiveadjectiveUS /əˈtræktɪv/

pleasing to the eye or mind especially through beauty or charm

From this reading So I won't bowstring you or cut off your unusually attractive head!

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

bowstringnoun

the string of an archer's bow

From this reading So I won't bowstring you or cut off your unusually attractive head!

boxnounUS /bɑːks/

a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

carnounUS /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

carenounUS /ker/

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

carryingverbUS /ˈkæriɪŋ/

-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

cutverbUS /kʌt/

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading So I won't bowstring you or cut off your unusually attractive head!

don't

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

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

driveverbUS /draɪv/

operate or control a vehicle

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

Dumont

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

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

employeenounUS /emˈplɔɪi/

a worker who is hired to perform a job

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

enteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

entertainingadjectiveUS /ˌentərˈteɪnɪŋ/

agreeably diverting

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

extremelyadverbUS /ekˈstriːmli/

to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

garagenounUS /ɡərˈɑːʒ/

an outbuilding (or part of a building) for housing automobiles

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

hatnounUS /hæt/

headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading So I won't bowstring you or cut off your unusually attractive head!

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

Ilse

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

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

leisurelyadverbUS /ˈliːzərli/

in an unhurried way or at one's convenience

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

machinenounUS /məˈʃiːn/

any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

marvellousadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrvələs/

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

MillsnounUS /mɪlz/

United States architect who was the presidentially appointed architect of Washington D.C. (1781-1855)

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

Neeland

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

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

Neeland's

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

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading So I won't bowstring you or cut off your unusually attractive head!

officenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading So I won't bowstring you or cut off your unusually attractive head!

Orangeville

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

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

ordersnounUS /ˈɔːrdərz/

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

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

prisonernounUS /ˈprɪzənər/

a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

SCHEHERAZADE

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

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

sidewalknounUS /ˈsaɪdwɔːk/

walk consisting of a paved area for pedestrians; usually beside a street or roadway

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

smilingnounUS /ˈsmaɪlɪŋ/

a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So I won't bowstring you or cut off your unusually attractive head!

standingadjectiveUS /ˈstændɪŋ/

having a supporting base

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

storiesnounUS /ˈstɔːriz/

plural of “story” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

strawnounUS /strɔː/

plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

suitcasenounUS /ˈsuːtkeɪs/

a portable rectangular container for carrying clothes

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

talesnounUS /teɪlz/

plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

tellernounUS /ˈtelər/

United States physicist (born in Hungary) who worked on the first atom bomb and the first hydrogen bomb (1908-2003)

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

unusuallyadverbUS /əˈnjuːʒuːəli/

to a remarkable degree or extent

From this reading So I won't bowstring you or cut off your unusually attractive head!

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

WelladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Then he leisurely returned to his prisoner who had given him her name as Ilse Dumont and who was standing on the sidewalk beside the car.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading SCHEHERAZADE At the Orangeville garage Neeland stopped his car, put on his straw hat, got out carrying suitcase and box, entered the office, and turned over the care of the machine to an employee with orders to drive it back to Neeland's Mills the next morning.

won't

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

From this reading So I won't bowstring you or cut off your unusually attractive head!

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading So I won't bowstring you or cut off your unusually attractive head!

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Well, Scheherazade," he said, smiling, "teller of marvellous tales, I don't quite believe your stories, but they were extremely entertaining.

Chapter 17 of The Dark Star by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers holds 216 sentences, grouped into 44 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 17 of The Dark Star contain?

Chapter 17 holds 216 sentences of The Dark Star, unabridged, divided into 44 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of The Dark Star by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 216 sentences, grouped into 44 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 17 of The Dark Star?

Work through the 44 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 44 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 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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 Dark Star

Common questions about reading The Dark Star by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Dark Star?

Yes. All 7653 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28440 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Dark Star is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #28440, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Dark Star take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1531 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Dark Star section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 36 chapters of The Dark Star to begin.

  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 Dark Star

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

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Dark Star; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Philippa
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Dark Star; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hidden
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Dark Star; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Children
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Dark Star; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.