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The Princess Tarakanova
The Princess Tarakanova

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of The Princess Tarakanova is here in full — 100 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By G. P. (Grigorii Petrovich) Danilevskii • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Princess Tarakanova
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_I DELIVER A LETTER._ I landed at Ancona.
From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.
The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.
To those beneath him he was ever amiable and good.
He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Princess Tarakanova

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of The Princess Tarakanova is here in full — 100 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_I DELIVER A LETTER._ I landed at Ancona.
Line 2
From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.
/frʌm ðer aɪ ˈstɑːrtɪd fɔːr bəˈloʊni wɪtʃ aɪ hæd hɜːrd ðə kəˈmændər hæd ˈtʃoʊzən fɔːr hɪz ˈhedkwɔːrtərz/
Line 3
The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.
Line 4
To those beneath him he was ever amiable and good.
/tuː ðoʊz bɪˈniːθ hɪm hiː wɑːz ˈevər ˈeɪmiəbəl ənd ɡʊd/
Line 5
He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.
/hiː wɑːz ˈveri fɑːnd ʌv ˈsɪmpəl dʒoʊks ənd sərˈaʊndɪd æz hiː wɑːz baɪ ˈɔːlmoʊst ˌɪmˈpɪriəl ˈlʌɡʒəri wɑːz ˈɔːlweɪz əˈtentɪv ənd ˈiːzi ʌv ˈækses/

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.

access noun US /ˈækses/

the right to enter

From this reading “He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
attentive adjective US /əˈtentɪv/

(often followed by “to”) giving care or attention

From this reading “He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Bologna noun US /bəˈloʊni/

the capital of Emilia-Romagna; located in northern Italy to the east of the Apennines

From this reading “From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
headquarters noun US /ˈhedkwɔːrtərz/

(usually plural) the office that serves as the administrative center of an enterprise

From this reading “From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Imperial adjective US /ˌɪmˈpɪriəl/

relating to or associated with an empire

From this reading “He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
jokes noun US /dʒoʊks/

plural of “joke” — a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

From this reading “He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Samuel noun US /ˈsæmjuːl/

(Old Testament) Hebrew prophet and judge who anointed Saul as king

From this reading “The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
squadron noun US /ˈskwɑːdrən/

a cavalry unit consisting of two or more troops and headquarters and supporting arms

From this reading “The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

DELIVER A LETTER verb + article + noun counted as “deliver … letter”

In this reading “_I DELIVER A LETTER._ I landed at Ancona.”

542 times in 426,211 chapters
from the bottom preposition + article + noun counted as “from … bottom”

In this reading “The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.”

4,015 times in 426,211 chapters
started for verb + particle counted as “start for”

In this reading “From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.”

13,977 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 70

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.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading _I DELIVER A LETTER._ I landed at Ancona.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
accessnounUS /ˈækses/

the right to enter

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Alexis

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

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Pending verification
almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
amiableadjectiveUS /ˈeɪmiəbəl/

disposed to please

From this reading To those beneath him he was ever amiable and good.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Ancona

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

From this reading _I DELIVER A LETTER._ I landed at Ancona.

Pending verification
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading _I DELIVER A LETTER._ I landed at Ancona.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
attentiveadjectiveUS /əˈtentɪv/

(often followed by “to”) giving care or attention

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading To those beneath him he was ever amiable and good.

Velmora curated lexicon
BolognanounUS /bəˈloʊni/

the capital of Emilia-Romagna; located in northern Italy to the east of the Apennines

From this reading From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bottomnounUS /ˈbɑːtəm/

the lower side of anything

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Chesma

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

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Pending verification
chosennounUS /ˈtʃoʊzən/

one who is the object of choice; who is given preference

From this reading From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
commandnounUS /kəˈmænd/

an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
commandernounUS /kəˈmændər/

an officer in command of a military unit

From this reading From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CountverbUS /kaʊnt/

determine the number or amount of

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DELIVERverbUS /dɪˈlɪvər/

deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)

From this reading _I DELIVER A LETTER._ I landed at Ancona.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
easyadjectiveUS /ˈiːzi/

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading To those beneath him he was ever amiable and good.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
flag-officer

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

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Pending verification
fondadjectiveUS /fɑːnd/

having or displaying warmth or affection

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
FromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading To those beneath him he was ever amiable and good.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Greig

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

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Pending verification
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hatedadjectiveUS /ˈheɪtəd/

treated with dislike or contempt

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
headquartersnounUS /ˈhedkwɔːrtərz/

(usually plural) the office that serves as the administrative center of an enterprise

From this reading From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
heronounUS /ˈhɪroʊ/

a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading To those beneath him he was ever amiable and good.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading _I DELIVER A LETTER._ I landed at Ancona.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ImperialadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɪriəl/

relating to or associated with an empire

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
jokesnounUS /dʒoʊks/

plural of “joke” — a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
landnounUS /lænd/

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
landedadjectiveUS /ˈlændəd/

owning or consisting of land or real estate

From this reading _I DELIVER A LETTER._ I landed at Ancona.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LETTERnounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading _I DELIVER A LETTER._ I landed at Ancona.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
luxurynounUS /ˈlʌɡʒəri/

something that is an indulgence rather than a necessity

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Orloff

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

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Pending verification
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
SamuelnounUS /ˈsæmjuːl/

(Old Testament) Hebrew prophet and judge who anointed Saul as king

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
simpleadjectiveUS /ˈsɪmpəl/

having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spentadjectiveUS /spent/

depleted of energy, force, or strength

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
squadronnounUS /ˈskwɑːdrən/

a cavalry unit consisting of two or more troops and headquarters and supporting arms

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
startedverbUS /ˈstɑːrtɪd/

past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
surroundedadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪd/

confined on all sides

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading To those beneath him he was ever amiable and good.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading He was very fond of simple jokes, and surrounded as he was by almost Imperial luxury, was always attentive and easy of access.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
vice-admiral

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

From this reading The Count Alexis Orloff, although the hero of Chesma, hated the sea from the bottom of his heart, and having given over the command of the squadron to his vice-admiral, the first flag-officer, Vice-Admiral Samuel Greig, he spent most of his time on land.

Pending verification
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading To those beneath him he was ever amiable and good.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading From there I started for Bologna, which I had heard the commander had chosen for his headquarters.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 9 of The Princess Tarakanova by G. P. (Grigorii Petrovich) Danilevskii holds 100 sentences, grouped into 20 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 9 of The Princess Tarakanova contain?

Chapter 9 holds 100 sentences of The Princess Tarakanova, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of The Princess Tarakanova by G. P. (Grigorii Petrovich) Danilevskii exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 100 sentences, grouped into 20 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 9 of The Princess Tarakanova?

Work through the 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 20 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 Princess Tarakanova

Common questions about reading The Princess Tarakanova by G. P. (Grigorii Petrovich) Danilevskii on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Princess Tarakanova?

Yes. All 3093 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #53580 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Princess Tarakanova is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #53580, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Princess Tarakanova take to read?

About 257 minutes of reading across 619 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Princess Tarakanova section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 36 chapters of The Princess Tarakanova 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 Princess Tarakanova

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

Normal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Princess Tarakanova; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Within
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Princess Tarakanova; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Italic
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Princess Tarakanova; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Passages
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Princess Tarakanova; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.