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The Status Civilization
The Status Civilization

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of The Status Civilization is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Status Civilization
Context Illustration Reading 1/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
* * * * * (_Citizen Father Boeren, age 51, occupation clergyman.
A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.
Our church is the official and exclusive religious expression of the government of Earth.
Our religion speaks for all the peoples of Earth.
It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."
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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 Status Civilization

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of The Status Civilization is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
* * * * * (_Citizen Father Boeren, age 51, occupation clergyman.
Line 2
A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.
Line 3
Our church is the official and exclusive religious expression of the government of Earth.
/ˈaʊər tʃɜːrtʃ ɪz ðə əˈfɪʃəl ənd ɪkˈskluːsɪv rɪˈlɪdʒəs ɪkˈspreʃən ʌv ðə ˈɡʌvərmənt ʌv ɜːrθ/
Line 4
Our religion speaks for all the peoples of Earth.
/ˈaʊər rɪˈlɪdʒən spiːks fɔːr ɔːl ðə ˈpiːpəlz ʌv ɜːrθ/
Line 5
It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

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.

blended adjective US /ˈblendɪd/

combined or mixed together so that the constituent parts are indistinguishable

From this reading “It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."”

composite noun US /kəmˈpɑːzət/

a conceptual whole made up of complicated and related parts

From this reading “It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."”

Incarnate verb US /ˌɪnˈkɑːrnət/

make concrete and real

From this reading “A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.”

peoples noun US /ˈpiːpəlz/

the human beings of a particular nation or community or ethnic group

From this reading “Our religion speaks for all the peoples of Earth.”

religions noun US /riˈlɪdʒənz/

plural of “religion” — a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading “It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."”

saffron noun US /ˈsæfrən/

Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food

From this reading “A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.”

sandals noun US /ˈsændəlz/

plural of “sandal” — a shoe consisting of a sole fastened by straps to the foot

From this reading “A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.”

skillfully adverb US /ˈskɪlfəli/

with skill

From this reading “It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."”

All words in this reading · 60

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.

51

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

From this reading * * * * * (_Citizen Father Boeren, age 51, occupation clergyman.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

abbotnounUS /ˈæbət/

the superior of an abbey of monks

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading * * * * * (_Citizen Father Boeren, age 51, occupation clergyman.

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 Our religion speaks for all the peoples of Earth.

all-embracingadjective

broad in scope or content

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

blendedadjectiveUS /ˈblendɪd/

combined or mixed together so that the constituent parts are indistinguishable

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

Boeren

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

From this reading * * * * * (_Citizen Father Boeren, age 51, occupation clergyman.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

branchnounUS /bræntʃ/

a division of some larger or more complex organization

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

ChurchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

CitizennounUS /ˈsɪtəzən/

a native or naturalized member of a state or other political community

From this reading * * * * * (_Citizen Father Boeren, age 51, occupation clergyman.

clergymannounUS /ˈklɜːrdʒimən/

a member of the clergy and a spiritual leader of the Christian Church

From this reading * * * * * (_Citizen Father Boeren, age 51, occupation clergyman.

compositenounUS /kəmˈpɑːzət/

a conceptual whole made up of complicated and related parts

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

EarthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading Our church is the official and exclusive religious expression of the government of Earth.

elementsnounUS /ˈeləmənts/

violent or severe weather (viewed as caused by the action of the four elements)

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

exclusiveadjectiveUS /ɪkˈskluːsɪv/

not divided or shared with others

From this reading Our church is the official and exclusive religious expression of the government of Earth.

expressionnounUS /ɪkˈspreʃən/

the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading Our church is the official and exclusive religious expression of the government of Earth.

faithnounUS /feɪθ/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

FathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading * * * * * (_Citizen Father Boeren, age 51, occupation clergyman.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Our religion speaks for all the peoples of Earth.

formeradjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmər/

referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

governmentnounUS /ˈɡʌvərmənt/

the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit

From this reading Our church is the official and exclusive religious expression of the government of Earth.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

IncarnateverbUS /ˌɪnˈkɑːrnət/

make concrete and real

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Our church is the official and exclusive religious expression of the government of Earth.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

localadjectiveUS /ˈloʊkəl/

relating to or applicable to or concerned with the administration of a city or town or district rather than a larger area

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

majoradjectiveUS /ˈmeɪdʒər/

of greater importance or stature or rank

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

MankindnounUS /ˈmænˈkaɪnd/

all of the living human inhabitants of the earth

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

minoradjectiveUS /ˈmaɪnər/

of lesser importance or stature or rank

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

occupationnounUS /ˌɑːkjəˈpeɪʃən/

the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money

From this reading * * * * * (_Citizen Father Boeren, age 51, occupation clergyman.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

officialadjectiveUS /əˈfɪʃəl/

having official authority or sanction

From this reading Our church is the official and exclusive religious expression of the government of Earth.

OurdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Our church is the official and exclusive religious expression of the government of Earth.

peoplesnounUS /ˈpiːpəlz/

the human beings of a particular nation or community or ethnic group

From this reading Our religion speaks for all the peoples of Earth.

plum-shaped

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

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

religionnounUS /rɪˈlɪdʒən/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading Our religion speaks for all the peoples of Earth.

religionsnounUS /riˈlɪdʒənz/

plural of “religion” — a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

religiousadjectiveUS /rɪˈlɪdʒəs/

concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church

From this reading Our church is the official and exclusive religious expression of the government of Earth.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

robenounUS /roʊb/

any loose flowing garment

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

saffronnounUS /ˈsæfrən/

Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

sandalsnounUS /ˈsændəlz/

plural of “sandal” — a shoe consisting of a sole fastened by straps to the foot

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

singleadjectiveUS /ˈsɪŋɡəl/

being or characteristic of a single thing or person

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

skillfullyadverbUS /ˈskɪlfəli/

with skill

From this reading It is a composite of the best elements of all the former religions, both major and minor, skillfully blended into a single all-embracing faith."

sonnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

speaksverbUS /spiːks/

third-person singular of “speak” — express in speech

From this reading Our religion speaks for all the peoples of Earth.

SpiritnounUS /ˈspɪrət/

the vital principle or animating force within living things

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

statelyadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪtli/

impressive in appearance

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

That's

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

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

wearingnounUS /ˈwerɪŋ/

(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading A stately, plum-shaped man wearing a saffron robe and white sandals._) "That's right, my son, I am the abbot of the local branch of the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate.

Chapter 10 of The Status Civilization by Robert Sheckley holds 420 sentences, grouped into 84 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 10 of The Status Civilization contain?

Chapter 10 holds 420 sentences of The Status Civilization, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 10 of The Status Civilization by Robert Sheckley exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 420 sentences, grouped into 84 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 10 of The Status Civilization?

Work through the 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 84 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 10 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 10 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 Status Civilization

Common questions about reading The Status Civilization by Robert Sheckley on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Status Civilization?

Yes. All 4293 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20919 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Status Civilization is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #20919, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Status Civilization take to read?

About 357 minutes of reading across 859 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Status Civilization section by section

How to work through The Status Civilization section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 10 chapters of The Status Civilization 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 Status Civilization

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Status Civilization, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Three
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Status Civilization; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Outside
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Status Civilization; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Trying
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Status Civilization; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Quite
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Status Civilization; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.