Chapter 11 of The Maker of Opportunities is here in full — 160 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter XI
Chapter 11 of The Maker of Opportunities is here in full — 160 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders. "What is it?" asked Crabb. "You are not cold?" "Oh, no," she said quietly. "I think I am a little tired."
Chapter 11 of The Maker of Opportunities is here in full — 160 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/32 · 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 artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading “Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.”
hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading “Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.”
an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper
From this reading “Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.”
the boundary of a surface
From this reading “Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.”
English nobleman who deposed Edward II and was executed by Edward III (1287-1330)
From this reading “Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.”
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading “Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.”
usually paved outdoor area adjoining a residence
From this reading “Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.”
United States novelist (1862-1937)
From this reading “Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.”
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 “Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.”
move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
In this reading “Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.”
In this reading “Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.”
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 Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
later than; following
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "I think I am a little tired."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "You are not cold?"
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "What is it?" asked Crabb.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
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 "You are not cold?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What is it?" asked Crabb.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I think I am a little tired."
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "What is it?" asked Crabb.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "What is it?" asked Crabb.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "I think I am a little tired."
a particular point in time
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
English nobleman who deposed Edward II and was executed by Edward III (1287-1330)
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
not any; not one
From this reading "Oh, no," she said quietly.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "You are not cold?"
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, no," she said quietly.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
a course of conduct
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
with low volume
From this reading "Oh, no," she said quietly.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Oh, no," she said quietly.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Oh, no," she said quietly.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
usually paved outdoor area adjoining a residence
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I think I am a little tired."
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading "I think I am a little tired."
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
United States novelist (1862-1937)
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What is it?" asked Crabb.
a Caucasian
From this reading Patricia Wharton stood a moment on the edge of the terrace after the dance, slipped her hand into Mortimer Crabb's arm and came down upon the path, drawing a drapery across her white shoulders.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You are not cold?"
Chapter 11 of The Maker of Opportunities by George Gibbs holds 160 sentences, grouped into 32 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 11 holds 160 sentences of The Maker of Opportunities, unabridged, divided into 32 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 11 of The Maker of Opportunities by George Gibbs exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 160 sentences, grouped into 32 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 32 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 32 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 11 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 Maker of Opportunities by George Gibbs on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3276 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #38702 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #38702, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 273 minutes of reading across 656 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Maker of Opportunities section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 21 chapters of The Maker of Opportunities 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 Maker of Opportunities, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
