Chapter 8 of The Runaway Asteroid is here in full — 407 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of The Runaway Asteroid is here in full — 407 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“No need to worry. I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.” He took the small iron plate and used it to jam the door open. From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid. Its hinges were completely hidden.
Chapter 8 of The Runaway Asteroid is here in full — 407 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 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.
any of numerous small celestial bodies composed of rock and metal that move around the sun (mainly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter)
From this reading “From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid.”
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading “Its hinges were completely hidden.”
plural of “hinge” — a joint that holds two parts together so that one can swing relative to the other
From this reading “Its hinges were completely hidden.”
press tightly together or cram
From this reading “He took the small iron plate and used it to jam the door open.”
(baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
From this reading “He took the small iron plate and used it to jam the door open.”
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading “From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid.”
transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity
From this reading “From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid.”
be worried, concerned, anxious, troubled, or uneasy
From this reading ““No need to worry.”
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 I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
anew
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He took the small iron plate and used it to jam the door open.
any of numerous small celestial bodies composed of rock and metal that move around the sun (mainly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter)
From this reading From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid.
at or toward the back of something
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Its hinges were completely hidden.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He took the small iron plate and used it to jam the door open.
not accessible to view
From this reading Its hinges were completely hidden.
plural of “hinge” — a joint that holds two parts together so that one can swing relative to the other
From this reading Its hinges were completely hidden.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading He took the small iron plate and used it to jam the door open.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Its hinges were completely hidden.
press tightly together or cram
From this reading He took the small iron plate and used it to jam the door open.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
a condition requiring relief
From this reading “No need to worry.
not any; not one
From this reading “No need to worry.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid.
(baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
From this reading He took the small iron plate and used it to jam the door open.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He took the small iron plate and used it to jam the door open.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He took the small iron plate and used it to jam the door open.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “No need to worry.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading He took the small iron plate and used it to jam the door open.
transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity
From this reading From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid.
up to a particular time
From this reading I’m not about to close a door behind me for good until I know I can open it again.”
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading He took the small iron plate and used it to jam the door open.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading From the inside, the door was transparent; from the outside, it looked like the surface of the iron asteroid.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Its hinges were completely hidden.
be worried, concerned, anxious, troubled, or uneasy
From this reading “No need to worry.
Chapter 8 of The Runaway Asteroid by Michael D. Cooper holds 407 sentences, grouped into 82 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 8 holds 407 sentences of The Runaway Asteroid, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of The Runaway Asteroid by Michael D. Cooper exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 407 sentences, grouped into 82 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 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 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 8 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.
