Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Survivors of the Chancellor
The Survivors of the Chancellor

Chapter XXXVIII · Chapter 38

Chapter 38 of The Survivors of the Chancellor is here in full — 33 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Survivors of the Chancellor
Context Illustration Reading 1/6 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.
M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.
At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.
With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.
It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Survivors of the Chancellor

Chapter XXXVIII · Chapter 38

Chapter 38 of The Survivors of the Chancellor is here in full — 33 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/6 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.
Line 2
M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.
Line 3
At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.
/æt ðə ˈveri saɪt ʌv ðə ˈvɪktəm ðʌs prəˈvaɪdɪd ɔːl ðə ˈtɔːrtʃərz ʌv ˈhʌŋɡər rɪˈtɜːrnd wɪð riˈdʌbəld ˈvaɪələns/
Line 4
With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.
Line 5
It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.
/ɪt siːmd ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl ðæt ˈeni əˈpiːl tuː ðer hjuːˈmænɪti kʊd æt sʌtʃ ə ˈmoʊmənt hæv ˈeni weɪt ˌnevərðəˈles ðə əˈpiːl wɑːz meɪd ənd ˌɪnˈkredəbəl æz ɪt meɪ siːm prɪˈveɪld/

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.

cravings noun US /ˈkreɪvɪŋz/

plural of “craving” — an intense desire for some particular thing

From this reading “M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.”

distended verb US /dɪˈstendɪd/

past form of “distend” — become wider

From this reading “With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.”

famished adjective US /ˈfæmɪʃt/

extremely hungry

From this reading “M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.”

pleads verb US /pliːdz/

third-person singular of “plead” — appeal or request earnestly

From this reading “MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.”

redoubled adjective US /riˈdʌbəld/

become much greater in intensity or size or amount

From this reading “At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.”

tortures noun US /ˈtɔːrtʃərz/

plural of “torture” — extreme mental distress

From this reading “At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.”

voracity noun US /vərˈæsəti/

excessive desire to eat

From this reading “With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.”

yearning noun US /ˈjɜːrnɪŋ/

prolonged unfulfilled desire or need

From this reading “M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.”

All words in this reading · 102

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.

26

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

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/

possessing life

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

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 MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

appealverbUS /əˈpiːl/

take a court case to a higher court for review

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.

attacknounUS /əˈtæk/

(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

brutaladjectiveUS /ˈbruːtəl/

(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

carnivoranoun

cats; lions; tigers; panthers; dogs; wolves; jackals; bears; raccoons; skunks; and members of the suborder Pinnipedia

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

cravingsnounUS /ˈkreɪvɪŋz/

plural of “craving” — an intense desire for some particular thing

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

creaturesnounUS /ˈkriːtʃərz/

plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

DAYnounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

devotedadjectiveUS /dɪˈvoʊtɪd/

zealous in devotion or affection

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

displayedverbUS /dɪˈspleɪd/

past form of “display” — to show, make visible or apparent

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

distendedverbUS /dɪˈstendɪd/

past form of “distend” — become wider

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

doubtfuladjectiveUS /ˈdaʊtfəl/

open to doubt or suspicion

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

fallverbUS /fɔːl/

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

famishedadjectiveUS /ˈfæmɪʃt/

extremely hungry

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

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

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

HERBEY

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

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

herdnounUS /hɜːrd/

a group of cattle or sheep or other domestic mammals all of the same kind that are herded by humans

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

humanitynounUS /hjuːˈmænɪti/

the quality of being humane

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

hungernounUS /ˈhʌŋɡər/

a physiological need for food; the consequence of food deprivation

From this reading At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

incredibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkredəbəl/

beyond belief or understanding

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

JANUARYnounUS /ˈdʒænjuːeri/

the first month of the year; begins 10 days after the winter solstice

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

Letourneur

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

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

lipsnounUS /lɪps/

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/

for more time

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

MnounUS /em/

the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

MISSverbUS /mɪs/

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

MOREadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

neverthelessadverbUS /ˌnevərðəˈles/

in spite of what has just been said

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

ONEpronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

PLEADSverbUS /pliːdz/

third-person singular of “plead” — appeal or request earnestly

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

prevailedverbUS /prɪˈveɪld/

past form of “prevail” — be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

preynounUS /preɪ/

a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

providedverbUS /prəˈvaɪdɪd/

past form of “provide” — give something useful or necessary to

From this reading At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.

redoubledadjectiveUS /riˈdʌbəld/

become much greater in intensity or size or amount

From this reading At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.

sacrificedverbUS /ˈsækrəfaɪst/

past form of “sacrifice” — endure the loss of

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

sightnounUS /saɪt/

an instance of visual perception

From this reading At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.

sonnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

teethnounUS /tiːθ/

the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

thusadverbUS /ðʌs/

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

torturesnounUS /ˈtɔːrtʃərz/

plural of “torture” — extreme mental distress

From this reading At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.

understoodadjectiveUS /ˌʌndərˈstʊd/

fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation

From this reading MISS HERBEY PLEADS FOR ONE DAY MORE JANUARY 26.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.

victimnounUS /ˈvɪktəm/

an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance

From this reading At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.

violencenounUS /ˈvaɪələns/

an act of aggression (as one against a person who resists)

From this reading At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.

voracitynounUS /vərˈæsəti/

excessive desire to eat

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

waitedverbUS /ˈweɪtɪd/

past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

weightnounUS /weɪt/

the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity

From this reading It seemed impossible that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem, prevailed.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall upon him while still alive.

yearningnounUS /ˈjɜːrnɪŋ/

prolonged unfulfilled desire or need

From this reading M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.

Chapter 38 of The Survivors of the Chancellor by Jules Verne holds 33 sentences, grouped into 7 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 38 of The Survivors of the Chancellor contain?

Chapter 38 holds 33 sentences of The Survivors of the Chancellor, unabridged, divided into 7 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 38 of The Survivors of the Chancellor by Jules Verne exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 33 sentences, grouped into 7 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 38 of The Survivors of the Chancellor?

Work through the 7 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 7 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 38 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 38 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 Survivors of the Chancellor

Common questions about reading The Survivors of the Chancellor by Jules Verne on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Survivors of the Chancellor?

Yes. All 2194 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1698 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Survivors of the Chancellor is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1698, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Survivors of the Chancellor take to read?

About 182 minutes of reading across 439 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Survivors of the Chancellor section by section

How to work through The Survivors of the Chancellor section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Survivors of the Chancellor 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 Survivors of the Chancellor

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Survivors of the Chancellor, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Charleston
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Survivors of the Chancellor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
September
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Survivors of the Chancellor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Three
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Survivors of the Chancellor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
O'clock
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Survivors of the Chancellor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.