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The Psychological Regulator
The Psychological Regulator

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Psychological Regulator is here in full — 784 sentences across 157 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Psychological Regulator
Context Illustration Reading 1/156 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.
She sighed inaudibly.
20:13:09, said the dial.
Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.
Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.
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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 Psychological Regulator

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Psychological Regulator is here in full — 784 sentences across 157 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/156 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.
Line 2
She sighed inaudibly.
/ʃiː saɪd ˌɪˈnɔːdəbli/
Line 3
20:13:09, said the dial.
Line 4
Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.
Line 5
Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

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.

dial noun US /ˈdaɪəl/

the face of a timepiece; graduated to show the hours

From this reading “20:13:09, said the dial.”

Female adjective US /ˈfiːmeɪl/

being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces fertilizable gametes (ova) from which offspring develop

From this reading “Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.”

file verb US /faɪl/

record in a public office or in a court of law

From this reading “Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.”

flexed verb US /flekst/

past form of “flex” — contract

From this reading “The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.”

inaudibly adverb US /ˌɪˈnɔːdəbli/

in an inaudible manner

From this reading “She sighed inaudibly.”

Register verb US /ˈredʒɪstər/

record in writing; enter into a book of names or events or transactions

From this reading “Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.”

tan noun US /tæn/

a browning of the skin resulting from exposure to the rays of the sun

From this reading “The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.”

Ward noun US /wɔːrd/

a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another

From this reading “The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.”

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.

West side noun + noun

the side that is on the west

In this reading “Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.”

looked at verb + particle counted as “look at”

take into consideration for exemplifying purposes

In this reading “The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.”

lived in verb + particle counted as “live in”

live in the house where one works

In this reading “Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.”

at the desk preposition + article + noun counted as “at … desk”

In this reading “The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.”

on the West preposition + article + noun counted as “on … west”

In this reading “Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.”

on duty preposition + noun

In this reading “Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.”

All words in this reading · 60

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.

09

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

From this reading 20:13:09, said the dial.

10

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

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

13

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

From this reading 20:13:09, said the dial.

20

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

From this reading 20:13:09, said the dial.

23

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

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

2349464

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

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

24

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

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

256

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

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

26

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

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

5

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

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

apartmentnounUS /əˈpɑːrtmənt/

a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

armnounUS /ɑːrm/

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 The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

buildingnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋ/

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

chronometernoun

an accurate clock (especially used in navigation)

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

desknounUS /desk/

a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

dialnounUS /ˈdaɪəl/

the face of a timepiece; graduated to show the hours

From this reading 20:13:09, said the dial.

dutynounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

FnounUS /ef/

a degree on the Fahrenheit scale of temperature

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

FemaleadjectiveUS /ˈfiːmeɪl/

being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces fertilizable gametes (ova) from which offspring develop

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

fileverbUS /faɪl/

record in a public office or in a court of law

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

flexedverbUS /flekst/

past form of “flex” — contract

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

FloornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

hallnounUS /hɔːl/

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

inaudiblyadverbUS /ˌɪˈnɔːdəbli/

in an inaudible manner

From this reading She sighed inaudibly.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

Markett

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

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

MissverbUS /mɪs/

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

numbernounUS /ˈnʌmbər/

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

nurseverbUS /nɜːrs/

try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

parkzone

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

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

PersonsnounUS /ˈpɜːrsənz/

plural of “person” — a human being

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

RegisterverbUS /ˈredʒɪstər/

record in writing; enter into a book of names or events or transactions

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading 20:13:09, said the dial.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She sighed inaudibly.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

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

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

sighedverbUS /saɪd/

past form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily

From this reading She sighed inaudibly.

smoothadjectiveUS /smuːð/

having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

tannounUS /tæn/

a browning of the skin resulting from exposure to the rays of the sun

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

Travenor

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

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

TwonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

WnounUS /ˈdʌbəljuː/

a heavy grey-white metallic element; the pure form is used mainly in electrical applications; it is found in several ores including wolframite and scheelite

From this reading Two more hours on duty for Miss Markett Travenor, F-2349464-23a-10-256W-26.

WardnounUS /wɔːrd/

a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another

From this reading The nurse at the desk of Floor 24, Ward 5, flexed a smooth, tan arm and looked at the hall chronometer.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

WestnounUS /west/

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

WhichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Which was to say that her file was Female number 2349464 in the Register of Persons, that she lived in apartment 23 on floor 10 in building 256 on the West side of parkzone 26.

Chapter 1 of The Psychological Regulator by C. M. (Cyril M.) Kornbluth holds 784 sentences, grouped into 157 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 Psychological Regulator contain?

Chapter 1 holds 784 sentences of The Psychological Regulator, unabridged, divided into 157 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Psychological Regulator by C. M. (Cyril M.) Kornbluth exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 784 sentences, grouped into 157 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 Psychological Regulator?

Work through the 157 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 157 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 Psychological Regulator

Common questions about reading The Psychological Regulator by C. M. (Cyril M.) Kornbluth on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Psychological Regulator?

Yes. All 784 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #64842 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Psychological Regulator is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #64842, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Psychological Regulator take to read?

About 65 minutes of reading across 157 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Psychological Regulator section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of The Psychological Regulator 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 Psychological Regulator

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

Nurse
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Psychological Regulator; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Floor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Psychological Regulator; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Flexed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Psychological Regulator; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Smooth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Psychological Regulator; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.