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White Fire
White Fire

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of White Fire is here in full — 86 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By John Oxenham • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for White Fire
Context Illustration Reading 1/17 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.
Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.
He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.
Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.
He was Kenneth Blair's man to the backbone, and prepared to follow him to the death.
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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.

White Fire

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of White Fire is here in full — 86 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/17 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.
Line 2
Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.
Line 3
He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.
/hiː wɑːz ðen ə faɪn oʊld ˈspesəmən ʌv ðə ˈveri best taɪp ʌv rɪˈtaɪrd ˈmerənər/
Line 4
Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.
Line 5
He was Kenneth Blair's man to the backbone, and prepared to follow him to the death.

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.

backbone noun US /ˈbækboʊn/

a central cohesive source of support and stability

From this reading “He was Kenneth Blair's man to the backbone, and prepared to follow him to the death.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Blair's noun US /blerz/

possessive form of “blair” — British statesman who became prime minister in 1997 (born in 1953)

From this reading “He was Kenneth Blair's man to the backbone, and prepared to follow him to the death.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Brisbane noun US /ˈbrɪzbeɪn/

capital and largest city of Queensland state; located in the southeastern corner of Queensland on the Pacific; settled by British as a penal colony; 3rd largest city in Australia

From this reading “Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bristling verb US /ˈbrɪsəlɪŋ/

-ing form of “bristle” — be in a state of movement or action

From this reading “Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Docks noun US /dɑːks/

plural of “dock” — an enclosure in a court of law where the defendant sits during the trial

From this reading “ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
goodwill noun US /ˈɡʊˈdwɪl/

(accounting) an intangible asset valued according to the advantage or reputation a business has acquired (over and above its tangible assets)

From this reading “Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
jovial adjective US /ˈdʒoʊviəl/

full of or showing high-spirited merriment

From this reading “Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mariner noun US /ˈmerənər/

a man who serves as a sailor

From this reading “He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

ten years noun + noun

In this reading “Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.”

20,715 times in 426,211 chapters
bristling with verb + particle counted as “bristle with”

In this reading “Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.”

1,258 times in 426,211 chapters
least ten adjective + noun

In this reading “Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.”

1,055 times in 426,211 chapters
very best adjective + noun

In this reading “He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.”

7,432 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 78

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 He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
alongsideadverbUS /əˈlɔːŋˈsaɪd/

side by side

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ARMSnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Aunties

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

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

Pending verification
backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
backbonenounUS /ˈbækboʊn/

a central cohesive source of support and stability

From this reading He was Kenneth Blair's man to the backbone, and prepared to follow him to the death.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BasinnounUS /ˈbeɪsən/

a bowl-shaped vessel; usually used for holding food or liquids

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BlairnounUS /bler/

British statesman who became prime minister in 1997 (born in 1953)

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Blair'snounUS /blerz/

possessive form of “blair” — British statesman who became prime minister in 1997 (born in 1953)

From this reading He was Kenneth Blair's man to the backbone, and prepared to follow him to the death.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BrisbanenounUS /ˈbrɪzbeɪn/

capital and largest city of Queensland state; located in the southeastern corner of Queensland on the Pacific; settled by British as a penal colony; 3rd largest city in Australia

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bristlingverbUS /ˈbrɪsəlɪŋ/

-ing form of “bristle” — be in a state of movement or action

From this reading Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
CaptainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Cathie

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

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Pending verification
Cathie's

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

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

Pending verification
clocknounUS /klɑːk/

a timepiece that shows the time of day

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading He was Kenneth Blair's man to the backbone, and prepared to follow him to the death.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DocksnounUS /dɑːks/

plural of “dock” — an enclosure in a court of law where the defendant sits during the trial

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
drawing-room

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

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

Pending verification
energynounUS /ˈenərdʒi/

(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs

From this reading Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
followverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊ/

to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading He was Kenneth Blair's man to the backbone, and prepared to follow him to the death.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
goodwillnounUS /ˈɡʊˈdwɪl/

(accounting) an intangible asset valued according to the advantage or reputation a business has acquired (over and above its tangible assets)

From this reading Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Greenock

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

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Pending verification
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
heartyadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrti/

showing warm and heartfelt friendliness

From this reading Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He was Kenneth Blair's man to the backbone, and prepared to follow him to the death.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
humanitynounUS /hjuːˈmænɪti/

the quality of being humane

From this reading Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
jovialadjectiveUS /ˈdʒoʊviəl/

full of or showing high-spirited merriment

From this reading Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Kenneth

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

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

Pending verification
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lyingnounUS /ˈlaɪɪŋ/

the deliberate act of deviating from the truth

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MANnounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
marinernounUS /ˈmerənər/

a man who serves as a sailor

From this reading He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
neighboursnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/

plural of “neighbour” — a person who lives (or is located) near another

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
objectnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekt/

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
overflowingadjectiveUS /ˈoʊvərfloʊɪŋ/

covered with water

From this reading Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
preparedadjectiveUS /priˈperd/

made ready or fit or suitable beforehand

From this reading He was Kenneth Blair's man to the backbone, and prepared to follow him to the death.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
retiredadjectiveUS /rɪˈtaɪrd/

no longer active in your work or profession

From this reading He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
roundnounUS /raʊnd/

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sea-dog

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

From this reading Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.

Pending verification
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
specimennounUS /ˈspesəmən/

an example regarded as typical of its class

From this reading He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
StreetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
struckadjectiveUS /strʌk/

(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tennounUS /ten/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
TorchnounUS /tɔːrtʃ/

a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
typenounUS /taɪp/

a subdivision of a particular kind of thing

From this reading He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading He was then a fine old specimen of the very best type of retired mariner.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Wapping

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

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Pending verification
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading ARMS AND THE MAN The _Torch_ had been brought round from Greenock by Captain Cathie, and was lying in the London Docks close alongside Wapping Basin, an object of interest to all her neighbours.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading Captain Cathie's clock had gone back at least ten years since he and Kenneth Blair struck hands in the drawing-room of the Aunties' house in Brisbane Street.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Now he was a jovial young sea-dog, bristling with energy, and overflowing with hearty goodwill to humanity at large.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 9 of White Fire by John Oxenham holds 86 sentences, grouped into 18 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 White Fire contain?

Chapter 9 holds 86 sentences of White Fire, unabridged, divided into 18 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of White Fire by John Oxenham exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 86 sentences, grouped into 18 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 White Fire?

Work through the 18 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 18 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 White Fire

Common questions about reading White Fire by John Oxenham on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of White Fire?

Yes. All 4962 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #38061 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of White Fire is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #38061, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does White Fire take to read?

About 413 minutes of reading across 993 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read White Fire section by section

How to work through White Fire section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 33 chapters of White Fire 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 White Fire

Words and structures a reader meets early in White Fire, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Adversity
A word that appears in the opening chapter of White Fire; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Strong
A word that appears in the opening chapter of White Fire; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stronger
A word that appears in the opening chapter of White Fire; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Still
A word that appears in the opening chapter of White Fire; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.