Chapter 7 of The Explorer is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VII
Chapter 7 of The Explorer is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
'Tighter than any of your patent-leather boots, my friend.' Walker moved uncomfortably in his chair. He no longer felt sleepy. A cold shiver ran down his spine. 'Have we any chance of getting through?' he asked gravely.
Chapter 7 of The Explorer is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/84 · 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.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading “'Tighter than any of your patent-leather boots, my friend.'”
in a grave and sober manner
From this reading “'Have we any chance of getting through?' he asked gravely.”
tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
From this reading “A cold shiver ran down his spine.”
ready to fall asleep
From this reading “He no longer felt sleepy.”
the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord
From this reading “A cold shiver ran down his spine.”
comparative of “tight” — closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading “'Tighter than any of your patent-leather boots, my friend.'”
in physical discomfort
From this reading “Walker moved uncomfortably in his chair.”
New Zealand runner who in 1975 became the first person to run a mile in less that 3 minutes and 50 seconds (born in 1952)
From this reading “Walker moved uncomfortably in his chair.”
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 A cold shiver ran down his spine.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading 'Tighter than any of your patent-leather boots, my friend.'
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading 'Have we any chance of getting through?' he asked gravely.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading 'Tighter than any of your patent-leather boots, my friend.'
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading Walker moved uncomfortably in his chair.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading 'Have we any chance of getting through?' he asked gravely.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading A cold shiver ran down his spine.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading A cold shiver ran down his spine.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He no longer felt sleepy.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading 'Tighter than any of your patent-leather boots, my friend.'
the act of acquiring something
From this reading 'Have we any chance of getting through?' he asked gravely.
in a grave and sober manner
From this reading 'Have we any chance of getting through?' he asked gravely.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading 'Have we any chance of getting through?' he asked gravely.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He no longer felt sleepy.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Walker moved uncomfortably in his chair.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Walker moved uncomfortably in his chair.
for more time
From this reading He no longer felt sleepy.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading Walker moved uncomfortably in his chair.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading 'Tighter than any of your patent-leather boots, my friend.'
not any; not one
From this reading He no longer felt sleepy.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading 'Tighter than any of your patent-leather boots, my friend.'
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Tighter than any of your patent-leather boots, my friend.'
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading A cold shiver ran down his spine.
tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
From this reading A cold shiver ran down his spine.
ready to fall asleep
From this reading He no longer felt sleepy.
the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord
From this reading A cold shiver ran down his spine.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading 'Tighter than any of your patent-leather boots, my friend.'
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading 'Have we any chance of getting through?' he asked gravely.
comparative of “tight” — closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading 'Tighter than any of your patent-leather boots, my friend.'
in physical discomfort
From this reading Walker moved uncomfortably in his chair.
New Zealand runner who in 1975 became the first person to run a mile in less that 3 minutes and 50 seconds (born in 1952)
From this reading Walker moved uncomfortably in his chair.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading 'Have we any chance of getting through?' he asked gravely.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading 'Tighter than any of your patent-leather boots, my friend.'
Chapter 7 of The Explorer by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham holds 423 sentences, grouped into 85 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 7 holds 423 sentences of The Explorer, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 7 of The Explorer by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 423 sentences, grouped into 85 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 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 85 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 7 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 Explorer by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5391 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #27198 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #27198, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 449 minutes of reading across 1079 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Explorer section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 13 chapters of The Explorer 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 Explorer, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
