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The pit
The pit

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of The pit is here in full — 408 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.
That's just what I would have done if I had been in his place.
Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"
Occasionally the Jadwins entertained.
Laura's husband was proud of his house, and never tired of showing his friends about it.
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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 pit

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of The pit is here in full — 408 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.
Line 2
That's just what I would have done if I had been in his place.
Line 3
Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"
Line 4
Occasionally the Jadwins entertained.
Line 5
Laura's husband was proud of his house, and never tired of showing his friends about it.

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.

Amazing adjective US /əˈmeɪzɪŋ/

surprising greatly

From this reading “Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"”

ass noun US /æs/

the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on

From this reading “Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"”

entertained adjective US /ˌentərˈteɪnd/

pleasantly occupied

From this reading “Occasionally the Jadwins entertained.”

exclaim verb US /ɪkˈskleɪm/

utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

From this reading “"Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.”

interrupting verb US /ˌɪntərˈʌptɪŋ/

-ing form of “interrupt” — make a break in

From this reading “"Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.”

Marriages noun US /ˈmerɪdʒɪz/

plural of “marriage” — the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)

From this reading “Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"”

Middleton noun US /ˈmɪdəltən/

English playwright and pamphleteer (1570-1627)

From this reading “Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"”

narrative noun US /ˈnærətɪv/

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 “"Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.”

All words in this reading · 51

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

AmazingadjectiveUS /əˈmeɪzɪŋ/

surprising greatly

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

assnounUS /æs/

the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading That's just what I would have done if I had been in his place.

chapnounUS /tʃæp/

a boy or man

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

ComeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

Dianas

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

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading That's just what I would have done if I had been in his place.

entertainedadjectiveUS /ˌentərˈteɪnd/

pleasantly occupied

From this reading Occasionally the Jadwins entertained.

exclaimverbUS /ɪkˈskleɪm/

utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

From this reading "Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.

friendsnounUS /frendz/

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading Laura's husband was proud of his house, and never tired of showing his friends about it.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading That's just what I would have done if I had been in his place.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading That's just what I would have done if I had been in his place.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.

he's

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

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading That's just what I would have done if I had been in his place.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Laura's husband was proud of his house, and never tired of showing his friends about it.

husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading Laura's husband was proud of his house, and never tired of showing his friends about it.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading That's just what I would have done if I had been in his place.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading That's just what I would have done if I had been in his place.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading That's just what I would have done if I had been in his place.

interruptingverbUS /ˌɪntərˈʌptɪŋ/

-ing form of “interrupt” — make a break in

From this reading "Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.

Jadwins

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

From this reading Occasionally the Jadwins entertained.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading "Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.

knowsnounUS /noʊz/

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

Laura's

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

From this reading Laura's husband was proud of his house, and never tired of showing his friends about it.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

MarriagesnounUS /ˈmerɪdʒɪz/

plural of “marriage” — the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

MiddletonnounUS /ˈmɪdəltən/

English playwright and pamphleteer (1570-1627)

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

narrativenounUS /ˈnærətɪv/

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 "Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Laura's husband was proud of his house, and never tired of showing his friends about it.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

OccasionallyadverbUS /əˈkeɪʒənəli/

sporadically and infrequently

From this reading Occasionally the Jadwins entertained.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Laura's husband was proud of his house, and never tired of showing his friends about it.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading That's just what I would have done if I had been in his place.

proudadjectiveUS /praʊd/

feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride

From this reading Laura's husband was proud of his house, and never tired of showing his friends about it.

showingnounUS /ˈʃoʊɪŋ/

the display of a motion picture

From this reading Laura's husband was proud of his house, and never tired of showing his friends about it.

sirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading "Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

that's

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

From this reading "Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/

depleted of strength or energy

From this reading Laura's husband was proud of his house, and never tired of showing his friends about it.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Laura's husband was proud of his house, and never tired of showing his friends about it.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading That's just what I would have done if I had been in his place.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading "Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.

writingnounUS /ˈraɪtɪŋ/

the act of creating written works

From this reading Come, this chap knows what he's writing about--not like that Middleton ass, with his 'Dianas' and 'Amazing Marriages.'"

YesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading "Yes, sir," he would exclaim, interrupting the narrative, "that's just it.

Chapter 11 of The pit by Frank Norris holds 408 sentences, grouped into 82 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 11 of The pit contain?

Chapter 11 holds 408 sentences of The pit, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 11 of The pit by Frank Norris exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 408 sentences, grouped into 82 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 11 of The pit?

Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 82 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 11 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading The pit

Common questions about reading The pit by Frank Norris on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The pit?

Yes. All 8642 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4382 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The pit is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4382, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The pit take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1729 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The pit section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of The pit 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 pit

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

Memory
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The pit; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Certain
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The pit; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lamentable
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The pit; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tales
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The pit; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.