Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Professor at the Breakfast-Table
The Professor at the Breakfast-Table

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table is here in full — 142 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Professor at the Breakfast-Table
Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.
There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.
The heart can be seen beating as if in a case of clouded crystal.
The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.
Other little creatures are so darkened with pigment that we can see only their surface.
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 Professor at the Breakfast-Table

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table is here in full — 142 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.
Line 2
There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.
Line 3
The heart can be seen beating as if in a case of clouded crystal.
/ðə hɑːrt kæn biː siːn ˈbiːtɪŋ æz ɪf ɪn ə keɪs ʌv ˈklaʊdɪd ˈkrɪstəl/
Line 4
The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.
/ðə ˈsentrəl ˈnɜːrvəs ˈkɑːləm wɪð ɪts ʃiːθ rʌnz æz ə dɑːrk straɪp θruː ðə hoʊl leŋkθ ʌv ðə daɪˈæfənɪs ˈmʌsəlz ʌv ðə ˈbɑːdi/
Line 5
Other little creatures are so darkened with pigment that we can see only their surface.
/ˈʌðər ˈlɪtəl ˈkriːtʃərz ɑːr soʊ ˈdɑːrkənd wɪð ˈpɪɡmənt ðæt wiː kæn siː ˈoʊnli ðer ˈsɜːrfəs/

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.

diaphanous adjective US /daɪˈæfənɪs/

so thin as to transmit light

From this reading “The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.”

fishes noun US /ˈfɪʃəz/

plural of “fish” — any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills

From this reading “There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.”

organs noun US /ˈɔːrɡənz/

edible viscera of a butchered animal

From this reading “There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.”

pigment noun US /ˈpɪɡmənt/

dry coloring material (especially a powder to be mixed with a liquid to produce paint, etc.)

From this reading “Other little creatures are so darkened with pigment that we can see only their surface.”

sheath noun US /ʃiːθ/

a protective covering (as for a knife or sword)

From this reading “The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.”

stripe noun US /straɪp/

an adornment consisting of a strip of a contrasting color or material

From this reading “The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.”

transparency noun US /trænˈsperənsi/

permitting the free passage of electromagnetic radiation

From this reading “I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.”

typified verb US /ˈtɪpəfaɪd/

inflected form of “typify” — embody the essential characteristics of or be a typical example of

From this reading “I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.”

All words in this reading · 66

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 There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The heart can be seen beating as if in a case of clouded crystal.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading The heart can be seen beating as if in a case of clouded crystal.

beatingnounUS /ˈbiːtɪŋ/

the act of overcoming or outdoing

From this reading The heart can be seen beating as if in a case of clouded crystal.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading The heart can be seen beating as if in a case of clouded crystal.

casenounUS /keɪs/

an occurrence of something

From this reading The heart can be seen beating as if in a case of clouded crystal.

centraladjectiveUS /ˈsentrəl/

serving as an essential component

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

cloudedadjectiveUS /ˈklaʊdɪd/

made troubled or apprehensive or distressed in appearance

From this reading The heart can be seen beating as if in a case of clouded crystal.

columnnounUS /ˈkɑːləm/

a line of units following one after another

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

creaturesnounUS /ˈkriːtʃərz/

plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

crystalnounUS /ˈkrɪstəl/

a solid formed by the solidification of a chemical and having a highly regular atomic structure

From this reading The heart can be seen beating as if in a case of clouded crystal.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

darkenedadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːrkənd/

(of fabrics and paper) grown dark in color over time

From this reading Other little creatures are so darkened with pigment that we can see only their surface.

diaphanousadjectiveUS /daɪˈæfənɪs/

so thin as to transmit light

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

exceptionnounUS /ɪkˈsepʃən/

a deliberate act of omission

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

fishesnounUS /ˈfɪʃəz/

plural of “fish” — any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

golden-blonde

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

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading The heart can be seen beating as if in a case of clouded crystal.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

instancenounUS /ˈɪnstəns/

an occurrence of something

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

internaladjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɜːrnəl/

happening or arising or located within some limits or especially surface

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

lengthnounUS /leŋkθ/

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

literallyadverbUS /ˈlɪtərəli/

in a literal sense

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

musclesnounUS /ˈmʌsəlz/

plural of “muscle” — one of the contractile organs of the body

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

nervousadjectiveUS /ˈnɜːrvəs/

easily agitated

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Other little creatures are so darkened with pigment that we can see only their surface.

organizationnounUS /ˌɔːrɡənəˈzeɪʃən/

a group of people who work together

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

organsnounUS /ˈɔːrɡənz/

edible viscera of a butchered animal

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

OtheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Other little creatures are so darkened with pigment that we can see only their surface.

pigmentnounUS /ˈpɪɡmənt/

dry coloring material (especially a powder to be mixed with a liquid to produce paint, etc.)

From this reading Other little creatures are so darkened with pigment that we can see only their surface.

runsnounUS /rʌnz/

plural of “run” — a score in baseball made by a runner touching all four bases safely

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Other little creatures are so darkened with pigment that we can see only their surface.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading The heart can be seen beating as if in a case of clouded crystal.

sheathnounUS /ʃiːθ/

a protective covering (as for a knife or sword)

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Other little creatures are so darkened with pigment that we can see only their surface.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

spiritualadjectiveUS /ˈspɪrɪtʃuːəl/

concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

stripenounUS /straɪp/

an adornment consisting of a strip of a contrasting color or material

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

surfacenounUS /ˈsɜːrfəs/

the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary

From this reading Other little creatures are so darkened with pigment that we can see only their surface.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Other little creatures are so darkened with pigment that we can see only their surface.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Other little creatures are so darkened with pigment that we can see only their surface.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

transparencynounUS /trænˈsperənsi/

permitting the free passage of electromagnetic radiation

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

transparentadjectiveUS /trænˈsperənt/

transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

typifiedverbUS /ˈtɪpəfaɪd/

inflected form of “typify” — embody the essential characteristics of or be a typical example of

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Other little creatures are so darkened with pigment that we can see only their surface.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading The central nervous column with its sheath runs as a dark stripe through the whole length of the diaphanous muscles of the body.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading There are a great many little creatures,--many small fishes, for instance,--which are literally transparent, with the exception of some of the internal organs.

wondernounUS /ˈwʌndər/

the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising

From this reading I wonder if something of spiritual transparency is not typified in the golden-blonde organization.

Chapter 21 of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table by Oliver Wendell Holmes holds 142 sentences, grouped into 29 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 21 of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table contain?

Chapter 21 holds 142 sentences of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table by Oliver Wendell Holmes exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 142 sentences, grouped into 29 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 21 of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table?

Work through the 29 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 29 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 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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 Professor at the Breakfast-Table

Common questions about reading The Professor at the Breakfast-Table by Oliver Wendell Holmes on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table?

Yes. All 3744 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2665 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2665, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Professor at the Breakfast-Table take to read?

About 312 minutes of reading across 749 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Professor at the Breakfast-Table section by section

How to work through The Professor at the Breakfast-Table section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 27 chapters of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table 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 Professor at the Breakfast-Table

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Professor at the Breakfast-Table, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Reader
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
To-day
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Forget
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Trust
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Professor at the Breakfast-Table; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.