Chapter 21 of The Wings of Icarus is here in full — 64 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXI
Chapter 21 of The Wings of Icarus is here in full — 64 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
December 18th. Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not. Let me think, where shall I begin? At the end; that is nearest. I have only just come upstairs; I have been shaking in the dark.
Chapter 21 of The Wings of Icarus is here in full — 64 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/12 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “Let me think, where shall I begin?”
the last (12th) month of the year
From this reading “December 18th.”
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading “Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.”
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading “Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.”
(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance
From this reading “At the end; that is nearest.”
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading “I have only just come upstairs; I have been shaking in the dark.”
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading “Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.”
on a floor above
From this reading “I have only just come upstairs; I have been shaking in the dark.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading December 18th.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the end; that is nearest.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I have only just come upstairs; I have been shaking in the dark.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Let me think, where shall I begin?
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading I have only just come upstairs; I have been shaking in the dark.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading I have only just come upstairs; I have been shaking in the dark.
the last (12th) month of the year
From this reading December 18th.
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading At the end; that is nearest.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I have only just come upstairs; I have been shaking in the dark.
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At the end; that is nearest.
and nothing more
From this reading I have only just come upstairs; I have been shaking in the dark.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Let me think, where shall I begin?
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Let me think, where shall I begin?
(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance
From this reading At the end; that is nearest.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
and nothing more
From this reading I have only just come upstairs; I have been shaking in the dark.
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading I have only just come upstairs; I have been shaking in the dark.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading Let me think, where shall I begin?
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading Let me think, where shall I begin?
on a floor above
From this reading I have only just come upstairs; I have been shaking in the dark.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
in or at the place that
From this reading Let me think, where shall I begin?
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Thank Heaven that you are here, in the world; I should die if you were not.
Chapter 21 of The Wings of Icarus by Laurence Alma-Tadema holds 64 sentences, grouped into 13 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 21 holds 64 sentences of The Wings of Icarus, unabridged, divided into 13 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 21 of The Wings of Icarus by Laurence Alma-Tadema exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 64 sentences, grouped into 13 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 13 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 13 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The Wings of Icarus by Laurence Alma-Tadema on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2158 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #17255 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #17255, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 179 minutes of reading across 432 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Wings of Icarus section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 35 chapters of The Wings of Icarus to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Wings of Icarus, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
