Chapter 4 of The Sky Is Falling is here in full — 425 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of The Sky Is Falling is here in full — 425 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Dave considered it. It seemed as likely as anything else. "Why me?" he asked. "Because you can put back the sky. At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
Chapter 4 of The Sky Is Falling is here in full — 425 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/85 · 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.
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading “At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."”
any thing at all
From this reading “It seemed as likely as anything else.”
carefully weighed
From this reading “Dave considered it.”
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading “At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."”
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading “It seemed as likely as anything else.”
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading “"Because you can put back the sky.”
comparative of “smart” — showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness
From this reading “At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."”
structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired
From this reading “At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."”
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.
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
any thing at all
From this reading It seemed as likely as anything else.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It seemed as likely as anything else.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Why me?" he asked.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading "Because you can put back the sky.
for the reason that
From this reading "Because you can put back the sky.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Because you can put back the sky.
carefully weighed
From this reading Dave considered it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dave considered it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed as likely as anything else.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Why me?" he asked.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Dave considered it.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading It seemed as likely as anything else.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Why me?" he asked.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading "Because you can put back the sky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed as likely as anything else.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading "Because you can put back the sky.
comparative of “smart” — showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Because you can put back the sky.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading At least, the Satheri think so, and I must admit that in some ways they are smarter than we."
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why me?" he asked.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Because you can put back the sky.
Chapter 4 of The Sky Is Falling by Lester Del Rey holds 425 sentences, grouped into 85 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 4 holds 425 sentences of The Sky Is Falling, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of The Sky Is Falling by Lester Del Rey exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 425 sentences, grouped into 85 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 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 85 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 4 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 Sky Is Falling by Lester Del Rey on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2878 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #18768 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #18768, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 239 minutes of reading across 576 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Sky Is Falling section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 7 chapters of The Sky Is Falling 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 Sky Is Falling, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
