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The Right Knock A Story
The Right Knock A Story

Chapter XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of The Right Knock A Story is here in full — 138 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Right Knock A Story
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"The soul is not a compensation, but a life.
The soul _is_.
Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.
Existence or God is not a relation or a part, but a whole."--_Emerson._ "MARLOW, September ----.
"Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.
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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 Right Knock A Story

Chapter XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of The Right Knock A Story is here in full — 138 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"The soul is not a compensation, but a life.
/ðə soʊl ɪz nɑːt ə ˌkɑːmpənˈseɪʃən bʌt ə laɪf/
Line 2
The soul _is_.
/ðə soʊl ɪz/
Line 3
Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.
/ˈʌndər ɔːl ðɪs siː ʌv ˈsɜːrkəmstæns huːz ˈwɔːtərz eb ənd floʊ wɪð pərˈfekt ˈbæləns laɪz ðə ˌæbərˈɪdʒənəl əˈbɪs ʌv riːl ˈbiːɪŋ/
Line 4
Existence or God is not a relation or a part, but a whole."--_Emerson._ "MARLOW, September ----.
Line 5
"Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

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.

aboriginal adjective US /ˌæbərˈɪdʒənəl/

characteristic of or relating to people inhabiting a region from the beginning

From this reading “Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.”

abyss noun US /əˈbɪs/

a bottomless gulf or pit; any unfathomable (or apparently unfathomable) cavity or chasm or void extending below (often used figuratively)

From this reading “Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.”

balance verb US /ˈbæləns/

bring into balance or equilibrium

From this reading “Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.”

compensation noun US /ˌkɑːmpənˈseɪʃən/

something (such as money) given or received as payment or reparation (as for a service or loss or injury)

From this reading “"The soul is not a compensation, but a life.”

ebb verb US /eb/

flow back or recede

From this reading “Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.”

Emerson noun US /ˈemərsən/

United States writer and leading exponent of transcendentalism (1803-1882)

messages noun US /ˈmesədʒəz/

plural of “message” — a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled

From this reading “"Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.”

September noun US /sepˈtembər/

the month following August and preceding October

From this reading “Existence or God is not a relation or a part, but a whole."--_Emerson._ "MARLOW, September ----.”

All words in this reading · 53

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 "The soul is not a compensation, but a life.

aboriginaladjectiveUS /ˌæbərˈɪdʒənəl/

characteristic of or relating to people inhabiting a region from the beginning

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

abyssnounUS /əˈbɪs/

a bottomless gulf or pit; any unfathomable (or apparently unfathomable) cavity or chasm or void extending below (often used figuratively)

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

babynounUS /ˈbeɪbi/

a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

balanceverbUS /ˈbæləns/

bring into balance or equilibrium

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

Beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "The soul is not a compensation, but a life.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

circumstancenounUS /ˈsɜːrkəmstæns/

a condition that accompanies or influences some event or activity

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

compensationnounUS /ˌkɑːmpənˈseɪʃən/

something (such as money) given or received as payment or reparation (as for a service or loss or injury)

From this reading "The soul is not a compensation, but a life.

DearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

ebbverbUS /eb/

flow back or recede

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

effortsnounUS /ˈefərts/

plural of “effort” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

EmersonnounUS /ˈemərsən/

United States writer and leading exponent of transcendentalism (1803-1882)

From this reading Existence or God is not a relation or a part, but a whole."--_Emerson._ "MARLOW, September ----.

especiallyadverbUS /əˈspeʃli/

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

ExistencenounUS /eɡˈzɪstəns/

the state or fact of existing

From this reading Existence or God is not a relation or a part, but a whole."--_Emerson._ "MARLOW, September ----.

flownounUS /floʊ/

the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

Fred's

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

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading Existence or God is not a relation or a part, but a whole."--_Emerson._ "MARLOW, September ----.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "The soul is not a compensation, but a life.

Jamie's

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

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

liesnounUS /laɪz/

plural of “lie” — a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading "The soul is not a compensation, but a life.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

MARLOW

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

From this reading Existence or God is not a relation or a part, but a whole."--_Emerson._ "MARLOW, September ----.

messagesnounUS /ˈmesədʒəz/

plural of “message” — a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "The soul is not a compensation, but a life.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Existence or God is not a relation or a part, but a whole."--_Emerson._ "MARLOW, September ----.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading Existence or God is not a relation or a part, but a whole."--_Emerson._ "MARLOW, September ----.

perfectadjectiveUS /pərˈfekt/

being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

relationnounUS /riˈleɪʃən/

an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together

From this reading Existence or God is not a relation or a part, but a whole."--_Emerson._ "MARLOW, September ----.

seanounUS /siː/

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

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

SeptembernounUS /sepˈtembər/

the month following August and preceding October

From this reading Existence or God is not a relation or a part, but a whole."--_Emerson._ "MARLOW, September ----.

soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading "The soul is not a compensation, but a life.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "The soul is not a compensation, but a life.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

UnderprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading "Dear husband: I was made very happy this morning by the messages from home, and especially Fred's and Jamie's baby efforts.

watersnounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/

United States actress and singer (1896-1977)

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

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

From this reading Existence or God is not a relation or a part, but a whole."--_Emerson._ "MARLOW, September ----.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Under all this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with perfect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being.

Chapter 18 of The Right Knock A Story by Helen Van-Anderson holds 138 sentences, grouped into 28 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 18 of The Right Knock A Story contain?

Chapter 18 holds 138 sentences of The Right Knock A Story, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of The Right Knock A Story by Helen Van-Anderson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 138 sentences, grouped into 28 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 18 of The Right Knock A Story?

Work through the 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 28 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 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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 Right Knock A Story

Common questions about reading The Right Knock A Story by Helen Van-Anderson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Right Knock A Story?

Yes. All 3739 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24177 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Right Knock A Story is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #24177, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Right Knock A Story take to read?

About 311 minutes of reading across 748 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Right Knock A Story section by section

How to work through The Right Knock A Story section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 38 chapters of The Right Knock A Story 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 Right Knock A Story

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Right Knock A Story, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Price
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Right Knock A Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Right Knock A Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Possible
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Right Knock A Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Story
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Right Knock A Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.