Chapter 8 of The Diamond Cross Mystery is here in full — 214 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of The Diamond Cross Mystery is here in full — 214 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE DIAMOND CROSS "Colonel Ashley?" There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice. "That is my name, yes, sir. Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk. "You are a private detective?"
Chapter 8 of The Diamond Cross Mystery is here in full — 214 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/42 · 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.
one of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes
From this reading “Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.”
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading “Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.”
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading “"You are a private detective?"”
a transparent piece of diamond that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
From this reading “THE DIAMOND CROSS "Colonel Ashley?"”
being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress)
From this reading “There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice.”
possessive form of “merchant” — a businessperson engaged in retail trade
From this reading “There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice.”
perplexed (as if being expected to know something that you do not know)
From this reading “There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice.”
refresh one's memory
From this reading “Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.”
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 There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "You are a private detective?"
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DIAMOND CROSS "Colonel Ashley?"
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
one of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general
From this reading THE DIAMOND CROSS "Colonel Ashley?"
travel across or pass over
From this reading THE DIAMOND CROSS "Colonel Ashley?"
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading "You are a private detective?"
a transparent piece of diamond that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
From this reading THE DIAMOND CROSS "Colonel Ashley?"
a trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; occurs with yttrium
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress)
From this reading There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice.
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "That is my name, yes, sir.
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
possessive form of “merchant” — a businessperson engaged in retail trade
From this reading There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "That is my name, yes, sir.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "That is my name, yes, sir.
a brief written record
From this reading There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading "You are a private detective?"
perplexed (as if being expected to know something that you do not know)
From this reading There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice.
refresh one's memory
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
term of address for a man
From this reading "That is my name, yes, sir.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "That is my name, yes, sir.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DIAMOND CROSS "Colonel Ashley?"
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Er--Mr. Grafton," and, as though to refresh his memory, the colonel glanced at the card on his desk.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice.
an affirmative
From this reading "That is my name, yes, sir.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You are a private detective?"
Chapter 8 of The Diamond Cross Mystery by Chester K. Steele holds 214 sentences, grouped into 43 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 214 sentences of The Diamond Cross Mystery, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of The Diamond Cross Mystery by Chester K. Steele exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 214 sentences, grouped into 43 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 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 43 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 Diamond Cross Mystery by Chester K. Steele on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #?, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Diamond Cross Mystery section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 0 chapters of The Diamond Cross Mystery 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 Diamond Cross Mystery, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
