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The Flying Cuspidors
The Flying Cuspidors

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Flying Cuspidors is here in full — 280 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Flying Cuspidors
Context Illustration Reading 1/56 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!
V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?
It's been happening to guys for a long time, now.
Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.
You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."
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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 Flying Cuspidors

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Flying Cuspidors is here in full — 280 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/56 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!
Line 2
V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?
Line 3
It's been happening to guys for a long time, now.
Line 4
Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.
Line 5
You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."
/juː wʊd noʊ wʌt aɪ miːn raɪt ɔːf ɪf juː ˈevər hiːr hɪm ɡɪv aʊt wɪð stɑːrz fel ɑːn ˈviːnəs ɔːr ˈmɑːrʃən lʌv sɔːŋ ɔːr ʃaɪn ɑːn ˈhɑːrvəst ˈluːnə/

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.

Alpha noun US /ˈælfə/

the 1st letter of the Greek alphabet

From this reading “Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.”

brainy adjective US /ˈbreɪni/

having or marked by unusual and impressive intelligence

From this reading “Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.”

extraterrestrials noun US /ˌekstrətɜːrˈestriəlz/

plural of “extraterrestrial” — a form of life assumed to exist outside the Earth or its atmosphere

From this reading “_A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!”

fiscal adjective US /ˈfɪskəl/

involving financial matters

From this reading “Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.”

guys noun US /ɡaɪz/

plural of “guy” — an informal term for a youth or man

From this reading “It's been happening to guys for a long time, now.”

Luna noun US /ˈluːnə/

(Roman mythology) the goddess of the Moon; counterpart of Greek Selene

From this reading “You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."”

magazines noun US /ˈmæɡəziːnz/

plural of “magazine” — a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it

From this reading “V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?”

Martian noun US /ˈmɑːrʃən/

imaginary people who live on the planet Mars

From this reading “You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

long time adjective + noun

a prolonged period of time

In this reading “It's been happening to guys for a long time, now.”

wonderful sight adjective + noun

In this reading “_A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!”

Fell on verb + particle

In this reading “You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."”

Shine On verb + particle

In this reading “You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."”

appeared in verb + particle counted as “appear in”

In this reading “V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?”

All words in this reading · 105

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.

2056

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

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

21

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

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

802

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

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

AlphanounUS /ˈælfə/

the 1st letter of the Greek alphabet

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It's been happening to guys for a long time, now.

brainyadjectiveUS /ˈbreɪni/

having or marked by unusual and impressive intelligence

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

brothernounUS /ˈbrʌðər/

a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

CalifornianounUS /ˌkæləˈfɔːrnjə/

a state in the western United States on the Pacific; the 3rd largest state; known for earthquakes

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

Centauri

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

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

extraterrestrialsnounUS /ˌekstrətɜːrˈestriəlz/

plural of “extraterrestrial” — a form of life assumed to exist outside the Earth or its atmosphere

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

FANTASTICadjectiveUS /fænˈtæstɪk/

ludicrously odd

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

FellverbUS /fel/

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

fiscaladjectiveUS /ˈfɪskəl/

involving financial matters

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It's been happening to guys for a long time, now.

forgiveverbUS /fərˈɡɪv/

stop blaming or grant forgiveness

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

Francis

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

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

gonest

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

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

good-lookingadjectiveUS /ˈɡʊdlʊkɪŋ/

pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

Grogan

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

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

guysnounUS /ɡaɪz/

plural of “guy” — an informal term for a youth or man

From this reading It's been happening to guys for a long time, now.

handsomeadjectiveUS /ˈhænsəm/

pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

happeningnounUS /ˈhæpənɪŋ/

an event that happens

From this reading It's been happening to guys for a long time, now.

HarvestnounUS /ˈhɑːrvəst/

the yield from plants in a single growing season

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

Hotlips

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

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

intellectualadjectiveUS /ˌɪntəˈlektʃuːəl/

of or associated with or requiring the use of the mind

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

involvedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɑːlvd/

connected by participation or association or use

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

It's

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

From this reading It's been happening to guys for a long time, now.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

livesnounUS /lɪvz/

plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

LocaladjectiveUS /ˈloʊkəl/

relating to or applicable to or concerned with the administration of a city or town or district rather than a larger area

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading It's been happening to guys for a long time, now.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

LunanounUS /ˈluːnə/

(Roman mythology) the goddess of the Moon; counterpart of Greek Selene

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

magazinesnounUS /ˈmæɡəziːnz/

plural of “magazine” — a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

MartiannounUS /ˈmɑːrʃən/

imaginary people who live on the planet Mars

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

meanverbUS /miːn/

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

men'snounUS /menz/

a public toilet for men

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading It's been happening to guys for a long time, now.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

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

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

ohnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

previouslyadverbUS /ˈpriːviəsli/

at an earlier time or formerly

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

RnounUS /ɑːr/

a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

sayingnounUS /ˈseɪɪŋ/

a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

ShineverbUS /ʃaɪn/

be bright by reflecting or casting light

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

sightnounUS /saɪt/

an instance of visual perception

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

soldadjectiveUS /soʊld/

disposed of to a purchaser

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

SongnounUS /sɔːŋ/

a short musical composition with words

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

StarsnounUS /stɑːrz/

plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading It's been happening to guys for a long time, now.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

trumpet-tooter

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

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

UNIVERSEnounUS /ˈjuːnəvɜːrs/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

VnounUS /viː/

a unit of potential equal to the potential difference between two points on a conductor carrying a current of 1 ampere when the power dissipated between the two points is 1 watt

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

VenusnounUS /ˈviːnəs/

the second nearest planet to the sun

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading V. R. Francis, who lives in California and has previously appeared in men's magazines, became 21 and sold to FANTASTIC UNIVERSE all in the same week._ This was love, and what could be done about it?

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

wonderfuladjectiveUS /ˈwʌndərfəl/

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading _A trumpet-tooter in love can be a wonderful sight, if Local 802 will forgive our saying so; when extraterrestrials get involved too--oh brother!

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading Hotlips Grogan may not be as handsome and good-looking like me or as brainy and intellectual, but in this fiscal year of 2056 he is the gonest trumpet-tooter this side of Alpha Centauri.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You would know what I mean right off if you ever hear him give out with "Stars Fell on Venus," or "Martian Love Song," or "Shine On, Harvest Luna."

Chapter 1 of The Flying Cuspidors by V. R. Francis holds 280 sentences, grouped into 56 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 1 of The Flying Cuspidors contain?

Chapter 1 holds 280 sentences of The Flying Cuspidors, unabridged, divided into 56 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Flying Cuspidors by V. R. Francis exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 280 sentences, grouped into 56 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 1 of The Flying Cuspidors?

Work through the 56 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 56 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Flying Cuspidors

Common questions about reading The Flying Cuspidors by V. R. Francis on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Flying Cuspidors?

Yes. All 280 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #29749 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Flying Cuspidors is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #29749, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Flying Cuspidors take to read?

About 23 minutes of reading across 56 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Flying Cuspidors section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of The Flying Cuspidors 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 Flying Cuspidors

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

Trumpet-tooter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Flying Cuspidors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wonderful
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Flying Cuspidors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sight
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Flying Cuspidors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Local
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Flying Cuspidors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.