Chapter 8 of Under Western Eyes is here in full — 206 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of Under Western Eyes is here in full — 206 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation. Lying on his back, he put his hands under his head and stared upward. After a moment he thought, “I am lying here like that man. I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets. No, he did not sleep.
Chapter 8 of Under Western Eyes is here in full — 206 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/41 · 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.
a storm with widespread snowfall accompanied by strong winds
From this reading “I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.”
indecision in speech or action
From this reading “He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.”
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading “He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.”
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading “I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.”
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading “Lying on his back, he put his hands under his head and stared upward.”
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading “I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.”
engaged in a struggle to overcome especially poverty or obscurity
From this reading “I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.”
directed up
From this reading “Lying on his back, he put his hands under his head and stared upward.”
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 After a moment he thought, “I am lying here like that man.
later than; following
From this reading After a moment he thought, “I am lying here like that man.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading After a moment he thought, “I am lying here like that man.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Lying on his back, he put his hands under his head and stared upward.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
a storm with widespread snowfall accompanied by strong winds
From this reading I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Lying on his back, he put his hands under his head and stared upward.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Lying on his back, he put his hands under his head and stared upward.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading After a moment he thought, “I am lying here like that man.
indecision in speech or action
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading After a moment he thought, “I am lying here like that man.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading After a moment he thought, “I am lying here like that man.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading Lying on his back, he put his hands under his head and stared upward.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading After a moment he thought, “I am lying here like that man.
a particular point in time
From this reading After a moment he thought, “I am lying here like that man.
not any; not one
From this reading No, he did not sleep.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
above and across; more than
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Lying on his back, he put his hands under his head and stared upward.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading No, he did not sleep.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Lying on his back, he put his hands under his head and stared upward.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.
engaged in a struggle to overcome especially poverty or obscurity
From this reading I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading After a moment he thought, “I am lying here like that man.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading After a moment he thought, “I am lying here like that man.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Lying on his back, he put his hands under his head and stared upward.
directed up
From this reading Lying on his back, he put his hands under his head and stared upward.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
during the time that
From this reading I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.
in the company of; together with
From this reading I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading He did not light his lamp, but went over to the bed and threw himself on it without any hesitation.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading I wonder if he slept while I was struggling with the blizzard in the streets.
Chapter 8 of Under Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad holds 206 sentences, grouped into 42 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 8 holds 206 sentences of Under Western Eyes, unabridged, divided into 42 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of Under Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 206 sentences, grouped into 42 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 42 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 42 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 8 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 Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 8310 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2480 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #2480, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1662 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Under Western Eyes section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Under Western Eyes 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 Western Eyes, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
