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The Web of the Golden Spider
The Web of the Golden Spider

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of The Web of the Golden Spider is here in full — 192 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.
He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.
General Otaballo was the last of one of those old families of Carlina who had spent their lives in the service of the family of Montferaldo.
His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.
He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Web of the Golden Spider

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of The Web of the Golden Spider is here in full — 192 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.
Line 2
He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.
Line 3
General Otaballo was the last of one of those old families of Carlina who had spent their lives in the service of the family of Montferaldo.
Line 4
His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.
/hɪz ˈɡrændfɑːðər tuː ɡoʊ bæk noʊ ˈfɜːrðər hæd daɪd dɪˈfendɪŋ ðə læst ˈreɪnɪŋ kwiːn hɪz ˈfɑːðər hæd bɪn ʃɑːt fɔːr ˈliːdɪŋ ə kənˈspɪrəsi tuː rɪˈstɔːr ðə ˈfæməli ənd naʊ ðə ˈɡrændsʌn wɑːz ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ ɪn ðə oʊld weɪ/
Line 5
He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.
/hiː wɑːz æn oʊld mæn naʊ ənd hæd mɪst deθ ə ˈhʌndrəd taɪmz baɪ ˈneroʊ ˈmɑːrdʒənz ˈoʊɪŋ tuː hɪz kəˈnekʃən wɪð dʒʌst sʌtʃ ˈentərpraɪzɪz æz ðɪs/

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.

defending adjective US /dɪˈfendɪŋ/

attempting to or designed to prevent an opponent from winning or scoring

From this reading “His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.”

enterprises noun US /ˈentərpraɪzɪz/

plural of “enterprise” — a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness)

From this reading “He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.”

hazy adjective US /ˈheɪzi/

filled or abounding with fog or mist

From this reading “_Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.”

margins noun US /ˈmɑːrdʒənz/

plural of “margin” — the boundary line or the area immediately inside the boundary

From this reading “He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.”

outlined adjective US /ˈaʊtlaɪnd/

showing clearly the outline or profile or boundary

From this reading “_Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.”

overthrown verb US /ˌoʊvərˈθroʊn/

inflected form of “overthrow” — cause the downfall of; of rulers

From this reading “He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.”

patriotic adjective US /ˌpeɪtriˈɑːtɪk/

inspired by love for your country

From this reading “He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.”

reigning adjective US /ˈreɪnɪŋ/

exercising power or authority

From this reading “His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.”

All words in this reading · 110

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

BadadjectiveUS /bæd/

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

bitnounUS /bɪt/

a small piece or quantity of something

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

campaignnounUS /kæmˈpeɪn/

a race between candidates for elective office

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

Carlinanoun

genus of Mediterranean thistles

From this reading General Otaballo was the last of one of those old families of Carlina who had spent their lives in the service of the family of Montferaldo.

confessedverbUS /kənˈfest/

past form of “confess” — confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

connectionnounUS /kəˈnekʃən/

a relation between things or events (as in the case of one causing the other or sharing features with it)

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

considerationsnounUS /kənˌsɪdərˈeɪʃənz/

plural of “consideration” — the process of giving careful thought to something

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

conspiracynounUS /kənˈspɪrəsi/

a secret agreement between two or more people to perform an unlawful act

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

Danbury

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

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

defendingadjectiveUS /dɪˈfendɪŋ/

attempting to or designed to prevent an opponent from winning or scoring

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

desirenounUS /dɪˈzaɪər/

the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

detailsnounUS /dɪˈteɪlz/

true confidential information

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

diedverbUS /daɪd/

past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

enterprisesnounUS /ˈentərpraɪzɪz/

plural of “enterprise” — a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness)

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

familiesnounUS /ˈfæməliz/

plural of “family” — a social unit living together

From this reading General Otaballo was the last of one of those old families of Carlina who had spent their lives in the service of the family of Montferaldo.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading General Otaballo was the last of one of those old families of Carlina who had spent their lives in the service of the family of Montferaldo.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

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

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

finallyadverbUS /ˈfaɪnəli/

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

furtheradverbUS /ˈfɜːrðər/

to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

GeneraladjectiveUS /ˈdʒenərəl/

applying to all or most members of a category or group

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

GoodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

governednounUS /ˈɡʌvərnd/

the body of people who are citizens of a particular government

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

governmentnounUS /ˈɡʌvərmənt/

the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

grandfathernounUS /ˈɡrændfɑːðər/

the father of your father or mother

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

grandsonnounUS /ˈɡrændsʌn/

a male grandchild

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

hazyadjectiveUS /ˈheɪzi/

filled or abounding with fog or mist

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/

ten 10s

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

inspiredadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈspaɪərd/

being of such surpassing excellence as to suggest inspiration by the gods

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

interestsnounUS /ˈɪntrəsts/

plural of “interest” — a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

involvedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɑːlvd/

connected by participation or association or use

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading General Otaballo was the last of one of those old families of Carlina who had spent their lives in the service of the family of Montferaldo.

leadingadjectiveUS /ˈliːdɪŋ/

indicating the most important performer or role

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

listenedverbUS /ˈlɪsənd/

past form of “listen” — hear with intention

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

livesnounUS /lɪvz/

plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading General Otaballo was the last of one of those old families of Carlina who had spent their lives in the service of the family of Montferaldo.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

marginsnounUS /ˈmɑːrdʒənz/

plural of “margin” — the boundary line or the area immediately inside the boundary

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

missedadjectiveUS /mɪst/

not caught with the senses or the mind

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

Montferaldo

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

From this reading General Otaballo was the last of one of those old families of Carlina who had spent their lives in the service of the family of Montferaldo.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

motivesnounUS /ˈmoʊtɪvz/

plural of “motive” — the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

narrowverbUS /ˈneroʊ/

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

NewsnounUS /nuːz/

information about recent and important events

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading General Otaballo was the last of one of those old families of Carlina who had spent their lives in the service of the family of Montferaldo.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading General Otaballo was the last of one of those old families of Carlina who had spent their lives in the service of the family of Montferaldo.

Otaballo

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

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

outlinedadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtlaɪnd/

showing clearly the outline or profile or boundary

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

overthrownverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈθroʊn/

inflected form of “overthrow” — cause the downfall of; of rulers

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

owingadjectiveUS /ˈoʊɪŋ/

owed as a debt

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

partynounUS /ˈpɑːrti/

an organization to gain political power

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

patrioticadjectiveUS /ˌpeɪtriˈɑːtɪk/

inspired by love for your country

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

plansnounUS /plænz/

plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

priestnounUS /priːst/

a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

promptedverbUS /ˈprɑːmptɪd/

past form of “prompt” — give an incentive for action

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

purelyadverbUS /ˈpjʊrli/

restricted to something

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

queennounUS /kwiːn/

the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

reigningadjectiveUS /ˈreɪnɪŋ/

exercising power or authority

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

restoreverbUS /rɪˈstɔːr/

return to its original or usable and functioning condition

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

revengenounUS /riˈvendʒ/

action taken in return for an injury or offense

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

RevolutionaryadjectiveUS /ˌrevəˈluːʃəneri/

markedly new or introducing radical change

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

sentimentaladjectiveUS /ˌsentəˈmentəl/

given to or marked by sentiment or sentimentality

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

servicenounUS /ˈsɜːrvəs/

work done by one person or group that benefits another

From this reading General Otaballo was the last of one of those old families of Carlina who had spent their lives in the service of the family of Montferaldo.

shotnounUS /ʃɑːt/

the act of firing a projectile

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

spentadjectiveUS /spent/

depleted of energy, force, or strength

From this reading General Otaballo was the last of one of those old families of Carlina who had spent their lives in the service of the family of Montferaldo.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading He was an old man now and had missed death a hundred times by narrow margins owing to his connection with just such enterprises as this.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

understoodadjectiveUS /ˌʌndərˈstʊd/

fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading His grandfather, to go back no further, had died defending the last reigning queen, his father had been shot for leading a conspiracy to restore the family, and now the grandson was following in the old way.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading He understood that three interests were involved; those of the Revolutionary party, who under General Otaballo were inspired by purely patriotic motives in their desire to see the present government overthrown; those of Danbury, who was governed by more sentimental considerations, and, finally, those of the priest, who was prompted by revenge.

WilsonnounUS /ˈwɪlsən/

author of the first novel by an African American that was published in the United States (1808-1870)

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading _Good News and Bad_ Though Wilson had listened with interest enough to the plans of the present campaign as outlined to him by Danbury, it must be confessed that he was still a bit hazy about the details.

Chapter 15 of The Web of the Golden Spider by Frederick Orin Bartlett holds 192 sentences, grouped into 39 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 15 of The Web of the Golden Spider contain?

Chapter 15 holds 192 sentences of The Web of the Golden Spider, unabridged, divided into 39 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of The Web of the Golden Spider by Frederick Orin Bartlett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 192 sentences, grouped into 39 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 15 of The Web of the Golden Spider?

Work through the 39 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 39 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 Web of the Golden Spider

Common questions about reading The Web of the Golden Spider by Frederick Orin Bartlett on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Web of the Golden Spider?

Yes. All 6075 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #29104 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Web of the Golden Spider is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #29104, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Web of the Golden Spider take to read?

About 506 minutes of reading across 1215 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Web of the Golden Spider section by section

How to work through The Web of the Golden Spider section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 29 chapters of The Web of the Golden Spider 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 Web of the Golden Spider

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Web of the Golden Spider, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Closed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Web of the Golden Spider; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Opens
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Web of the Golden Spider; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Aimless
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Web of the Golden Spider; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wanderings
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Web of the Golden Spider; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.