Chapter 7 of Theft: A Play In Four Acts is here in full — 441 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VII
Chapter 7 of Theft: A Play In Four Acts is here in full — 441 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
{Knox} (_Stunned._) Stripped--you? {Margaret} Every stitch. My father commanded it {Knox} (_Suddenly visioning the scene._) My God! {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that. There was a screen.
Chapter 7 of Theft: A Play In Four Acts is here in full — 441 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/88 · 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.
with cynicism; in a cynical manner
From this reading “{Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.”
Scottish theologian who founded Presbyterianism in Scotland and wrote a history of the Reformation in Scotland (1514-1572)
From this reading “{Knox} (_Stunned._) Stripped--you?”
returning to health after illness or debility
a white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing
From this reading “There was a screen.”
struck with fear, dread, or consternation
From this reading “{Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.”
a link or loop or knot made by an implement in knitting, crocheting, embroidery, or sewing
From this reading “{Margaret} Every stitch.”
having only essential or minimal features
From this reading “{Knox} (_Stunned._) Stripped--you?”
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
past form of “command” — be in command of
From this reading My father commanded it {Knox} (_Suddenly visioning the scene._) My God!
with cynicism; in a cynical manner
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading {Margaret} Every stitch.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading My father commanded it {Knox} (_Suddenly visioning the scene._) My God!
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading My father commanded it {Knox} (_Suddenly visioning the scene._) My God!
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading My father commanded it {Knox} (_Suddenly visioning the scene._) My God!
Scottish theologian who founded Presbyterianism in Scotland and wrote a history of the Reformation in Scotland (1514-1572)
From this reading {Knox} (_Stunned._) Stripped--you?
the sound of laughing
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading {Margaret} Every stitch.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My father commanded it {Knox} (_Suddenly visioning the scene._) My God!
not any; not one
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
returning to health after illness or debility
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading My father commanded it {Knox} (_Suddenly visioning the scene._) My God!
a white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing
From this reading There was a screen.
struck with fear, dread, or consternation
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
a link or loop or knot made by an implement in knitting, crocheting, embroidery, or sewing
From this reading {Margaret} Every stitch.
having only essential or minimal features
From this reading {Knox} (_Stunned._) Stripped--you?
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading {Knox} (_Stunned._) Stripped--you?
happening unexpectedly
From this reading My father commanded it {Knox} (_Suddenly visioning the scene._) My God!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading My father commanded it {Knox} (_Suddenly visioning the scene._) My God!
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a screen.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father commanded it {Knox} (_Suddenly visioning the scene._) My God!
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
in the company of; together with
From this reading {Margaret} (_Recovering herself and speaking cynically, with a laugh at his shocked face._) No; it was not so bad as that.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading {Knox} (_Stunned._) Stripped--you?
Chapter 7 of Theft: A Play In Four Acts by Jack London holds 441 sentences, grouped into 89 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 7 holds 441 sentences of Theft: A Play In Four Acts, unabridged, divided into 89 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 7 of Theft: A Play In Four Acts by Jack London exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 441 sentences, grouped into 89 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 89 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 89 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 7 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 Theft: A Play In Four Acts by Jack London on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2971 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21936 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21936, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 247 minutes of reading across 595 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Theft: A Play In Four Acts section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 7 chapters of Theft: A Play In Four Acts 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 Theft: A Play In Four Acts, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
