Chapter 4 of The starmen is here in full — 438 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of The starmen is here in full — 438 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer. I know. I've been trying for the longest time." Kerrel turned and went out. He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.
Chapter 4 of The starmen is here in full — 438 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/87 · 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.
react verbally
From this reading “"But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.”
in a gradual manner
From this reading “"But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.”
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading “He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.”
for the most time
From this reading “I've been trying for the longest time."”
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading “He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.”
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading “"But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.”
hard to endure
From this reading “I've been trying for the longest time."”
moved around an axis or center
From this reading “Kerrel turned and went out.”
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.
In this reading “He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.”
move out of or depart from
In this reading “Kerrel turned and went out.”
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.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Kerrel turned and went out.
react verbally
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I've been trying for the longest time."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.
divisible by two
From this reading He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
in a gradual manner
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I know.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I've been trying for the longest time."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading I know.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
for the most time
From this reading I've been trying for the longest time."
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.
not any; not one
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Kerrel turned and went out.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
carry out
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I've been trying for the longest time."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading I've been trying for the longest time."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He said nothing more, and he did not even glance at Trehearne as he passed him.
hard to endure
From this reading I've been trying for the longest time."
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Kerrel turned and went out.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Kerrel turned and went out.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "But Kerrel," she told him gently, "it had to be something like this, or you wouldn't take no for an answer.
Chapter 4 of The starmen by Leigh Brackett holds 438 sentences, grouped into 88 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 438 sentences of The starmen, unabridged, divided into 88 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of The starmen by Leigh Brackett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 438 sentences, grouped into 88 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 88 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 88 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 starmen by Leigh Brackett on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #?, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The starmen section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 0 chapters of The starmen 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 starmen, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
