Chapter 3 of The Runaway Asteroid is here in full — 400 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of The Runaway Asteroid is here in full — 400 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“What--?” exclaimed Vly, turning. “What was that?” cried Joe. “Something jumped across the corridor. I think it went into this recess here.” He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.
Chapter 3 of The Runaway Asteroid is here in full — 400 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
plural of “box” — a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading “He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.”
an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading ““Something jumped across the corridor.”
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading ““Something jumped across the corridor.”
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading “He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.”
having a point
From this reading “He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.”
put into a recess
From this reading “I think it went into this recess here.””
arranged in a stack
From this reading “He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.”
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading ““What--?” exclaimed Vly, turning.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading “Something jumped across the corridor.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.
plural of “box” — a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.
an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading “Something jumped across the corridor.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading “What was that?” cried Joe.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading “What--?” exclaimed Vly, turning.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading I think it went into this recess here.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I think it went into this recess here.”
moving to the inside of something
From this reading I think it went into this recess here.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I think it went into this recess here.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What was that?” cried Joe.
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading “Something jumped across the corridor.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.
having a point
From this reading He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.
put into a recess
From this reading I think it went into this recess here.”
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “Something jumped across the corridor.
arranged in a stack
From this reading He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “What was that?” cried Joe.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Something jumped across the corridor.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading I think it went into this recess here.”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading I think it went into this recess here.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He pointed to an opening between a few stacked boxes.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading “What--?” exclaimed Vly, turning.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What--?” exclaimed Vly, turning.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “What was that?” cried Joe.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I think it went into this recess here.”
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What--?” exclaimed Vly, turning.
Chapter 3 of The Runaway Asteroid by Michael D. Cooper holds 400 sentences, grouped into 80 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.
Chapter 3 holds 400 sentences of The Runaway Asteroid, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of The Runaway Asteroid by Michael D. Cooper exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 400 sentences, grouped into 80 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.
Work through the 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 80 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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.
Common questions about reading The Runaway Asteroid by Michael D. Cooper on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4799 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #11583 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #11583, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 399 minutes of reading across 960 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Runaway Asteroid section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 12 chapters of The Runaway Asteroid to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Runaway Asteroid, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
