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Us and the Bottle Man
Us and the Bottle Man

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of Us and the Bottle Man is here in full — 121 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Us and the Bottle Man
Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.
It was longer than years and years in prison; it was as long as a century.
I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.
Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.
He was snoring a little, and somehow it was the nicest sound I'd ever heard.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Us and the Bottle Man

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of Us and the Bottle Man is here in full — 121 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.
Line 2
It was longer than years and years in prison; it was as long as a century.
/ɪt wɑːz ˈlɔːŋɡər ðæn jɪrz ənd jɪrz ɪn ˈprɪzən ɪt wɑːz æz lɔːŋ æz ə ˈsentʃəri/
Line 3
I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.
Line 4
Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.
/ˈdʒeri wɑːz ˈhʌdəld ʌp æt maɪ fiːt wɪð hɪz dɪr oʊld hed prɑːpt ənˈkʌmfərtəbli əˈɡenst miː/
Line 5
He was snoring a little, and somehow it was the nicest sound I'd ever heard.

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.

bluish adjective US /ˈbluːɪʃ/

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading “I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.”

huddled adjective US /ˈhʌdəld/

crowded or massed together

From this reading “Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.”

nicest adjective US /ˈnaɪsɪst/

superlative of “nice” — pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance

From this reading “He was snoring a little, and somehow it was the nicest sound I'd ever heard.”

peered verb US /pɪrd/

past form of “peer” — look searchingly

From this reading “I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.”

propped verb US /prɑːpt/

inflected form of “prop” — support by placing against something solid or rigid

From this reading “Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.”

snoring noun US /ˈsnɔːrɪŋ/

the act of snoring or producing a snoring sound

From this reading “He was snoring a little, and somehow it was the nicest sound I'd ever heard.”

uncomfortably adverb US /ənˈkʌmfərtəbli/

in physical discomfort

From this reading “Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.”

volumes noun US /ˈvɑːljuːmz/

plural of “volume” — the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object

From this reading “If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.”

All words in this reading · 77

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 It was longer than years and years in prison; it was as long as a century.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It was longer than years and years in prison; it was as long as a century.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

beginverbUS /bɪˈɡɪn/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

bluishadjectiveUS /ˈbluːɪʃ/

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

cavenounUS /keɪv/

a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

centurynounUS /ˈsentʃəri/

a period of 100 years

From this reading It was longer than years and years in prison; it was as long as a century.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

couldn't

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

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

entrancenounUS /ˈentrəns/

something that provides access (to get in or get out)

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading He was snoring a little, and somehow it was the nicest sound I'd ever heard.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He was snoring a little, and somehow it was the nicest sound I'd ever heard.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading He was snoring a little, and somehow it was the nicest sound I'd ever heard.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.

how

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

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

huddledadjectiveUS /ˈhʌdəld/

crowded or massed together

From this reading Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

I'd

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

From this reading He was snoring a little, and somehow it was the nicest sound I'd ever heard.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It was longer than years and years in prison; it was as long as a century.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was longer than years and years in prison; it was as long as a century.

JerrynounUS /ˈdʒeri/

offensive term for a person of German descent

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/

for more time

From this reading It was longer than years and years in prison; it was as long as a century.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.

nicestadjectiveUS /ˈnaɪsɪst/

superlative of “nice” — pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance

From this reading He was snoring a little, and somehow it was the nicest sound I'd ever heard.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

peeredverbUS /pɪrd/

past form of “peer” — look searchingly

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

piecenounUS /piːs/

a separate part of a whole

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

prisonnounUS /ˈprɪzən/

a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment

From this reading It was longer than years and years in prison; it was as long as a century.

proppedverbUS /prɑːpt/

inflected form of “prop” — support by placing against something solid or rigid

From this reading Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.

rain-sound

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

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

sleptverbUS /slept/

inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

snoringnounUS /ˈsnɔːrɪŋ/

the act of snoring or producing a snoring sound

From this reading He was snoring a little, and somehow it was the nicest sound I'd ever heard.

somehowadverbUS /ˈsʌmhaʊ/

in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means

From this reading He was snoring a little, and somehow it was the nicest sound I'd ever heard.

soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading He was snoring a little, and somehow it was the nicest sound I'd ever heard.

starsnounUS /stɑːrz/

plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading It was longer than years and years in prison; it was as long as a century.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

threenounUS /θriː/

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

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

uncomfortablyadverbUS /ənˈkʌmfərtəbli/

in physical discomfort

From this reading Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.

volumesnounUS /ˈvɑːljuːmz/

plural of “volume” — the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was longer than years and years in prison; it was as long as a century.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

wetadjectiveUS /wet/

covered or soaked with a liquid such as water

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading I think Jerry slept a little, and perhaps I did, too, for when I peered out at the cave entrance again there were two or three bluish, wet stars in the piece of sky I could see, and the rain-sound had stopped.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Jerry was huddled up at my feet with his dear old head propped uncomfortably against me.

wroteverbUS /roʊt/

inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work

From this reading If I wrote volumes and volumes I couldn't begin to tell how long that night seemed.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading It was longer than years and years in prison; it was as long as a century.

Chapter 9 of Us and the Bottle Man by Edith Ballinger Price holds 121 sentences, grouped into 25 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 9 of Us and the Bottle Man contain?

Chapter 9 holds 121 sentences of Us and the Bottle Man, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of Us and the Bottle Man by Edith Ballinger Price exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 121 sentences, grouped into 25 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 9 of Us and the Bottle Man?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 Us and the Bottle Man

Common questions about reading Us and the Bottle Man by Edith Ballinger Price on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Us and the Bottle Man?

Yes. All 1108 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #12681 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Us and the Bottle Man is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #12681, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Us and the Bottle Man take to read?

About 92 minutes of reading across 222 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Us and the Bottle Man section by section

How to work through Us and the Bottle Man section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 11 chapters of Us and the Bottle Man 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 Us and the Bottle Man

Words and structures a reader meets early in Us and the Bottle Man, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Middle
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Us and the Bottle Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rainiest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Us and the Bottle Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Us and the Bottle Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ailsa
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Us and the Bottle Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.