Chapter 21 of Under the Andes is here in full — 263 sentences across 53 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXI
Chapter 21 of Under the Andes is here in full — 263 sentences across 53 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE MIDST OF THE ENEMY. Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern. "But it isn't possible," I objected finally to my own thoughts. "She would have cried out and we would have heard her. The spear may have been there before."
Chapter 21 of Under the Andes is here in full — 263 sentences across 53 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/52 · 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.
in a blank and uncomprehending manner
From this reading “Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.”
A large, vast underground cave, often filled with forgotten ancient treasures.
From this reading “Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.”
an opposing military force
From this reading “THE MIDST OF THE ENEMY.”
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading “Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.”
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading “Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.”
the location of something surrounded by other things
From this reading “THE MIDST OF THE ENEMY.”
past form of “object” — express or raise an objection or protest or criticism or express dissent
From this reading “"But it isn't possible," I objected finally to my own thoughts.”
a long pointed rod used as a tool or weapon
From this reading “The spear may have been there before."”
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 to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The spear may have been there before."
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The spear may have been there before."
in a blank and uncomprehending manner
From this reading Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But it isn't possible," I objected finally to my own thoughts.
A large, vast underground cave, often filled with forgotten ancient treasures.
From this reading Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "She would have cried out and we would have heard her.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.
an opposing military force
From this reading THE MIDST OF THE ENEMY.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading "But it isn't possible," I objected finally to my own thoughts.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "She would have cried out and we would have heard her.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading "She would have cried out and we would have heard her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "She would have cried out and we would have heard her.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But it isn't possible," I objected finally to my own thoughts.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "But it isn't possible," I objected finally to my own thoughts.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading The spear may have been there before."
the location of something surrounded by other things
From this reading THE MIDST OF THE ENEMY.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "But it isn't possible," I objected finally to my own thoughts.
past form of “object” — express or raise an objection or protest or criticism or express dissent
From this reading "But it isn't possible," I objected finally to my own thoughts.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE MIDST OF THE ENEMY.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "She would have cried out and we would have heard her.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading "But it isn't possible," I objected finally to my own thoughts.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading "But it isn't possible," I objected finally to my own thoughts.
partial darkness
From this reading Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "She would have cried out and we would have heard her.
a long pointed rod used as a tool or weapon
From this reading The spear may have been there before."
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Harry and I stood gazing at each other blankly in the semidarkness of the cavern.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MIDST OF THE ENEMY.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The spear may have been there before."
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "But it isn't possible," I objected finally to my own thoughts.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "But it isn't possible," I objected finally to my own thoughts.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "She would have cried out and we would have heard her.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "She would have cried out and we would have heard her.
Chapter 21 of Under the Andes by Rex Stout holds 263 sentences, grouped into 53 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.
Chapter 21 holds 263 sentences of Under the Andes, unabridged, divided into 53 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 21 of Under the Andes by Rex Stout exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 263 sentences, grouped into 53 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 53 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 53 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 Under the Andes by Rex Stout on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6135 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #546 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #546, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 511 minutes of reading across 1227 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Under the Andes section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 24 chapters of Under the Andes 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 Under the Andes, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
