Chapter 2 of Young Adventure: A Book of Poems is here in full — 185 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Young Adventure: A Book of Poems is here in full — 185 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
He cried at last. Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!" Wearily The genie heard. A slow smile came like dawn Over his face. "Thy task is done!" he said.
Chapter 2 of Young Adventure: A Book of Poems is here in full — 185 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/37 · 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.
an old form of “could”, used with “thou”
From this reading “Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"”
the first light of day
From this reading “A slow smile came like dawn Over his face.”
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading “Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"”
A magical spirit of immense power, often confined within an oil lamp or ring and bound to serve its master.
From this reading “Wearily The genie heard.”
of a stringed instrument; sounded with the fingers or a plectrum
From this reading “Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"”
in a weary manner
From this reading “Wearily The genie heard.”
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
From this reading “Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"”
an old word for “yes”
From this reading “Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"”
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 Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He cried at last.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A slow smile came like dawn Over his face.
an old form of “could”, used with “thou”
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading He cried at last.
the first light of day
From this reading A slow smile came like dawn Over his face.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading "Thy task is done!" he said.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading A slow smile came like dawn Over his face.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
A magical spirit of immense power, often confined within an oil lamp or ring and bound to serve its master.
From this reading Wearily The genie heard.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He cried at last.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Wearily The genie heard.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A slow smile came like dawn Over his face.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Thy task is done!" he said.
immediately past
From this reading He cried at last.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
above and across; more than
From this reading A slow smile came like dawn Over his face.
of a stringed instrument; sounded with the fingers or a plectrum
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Thy task is done!" he said.
a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading A slow smile came like dawn Over his face.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading A slow smile came like dawn Over his face.
the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading "Thy task is done!" he said.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
an old word for “your”, speaking to one person
From this reading "Thy task is done!" he said.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
in a weary manner
From this reading Wearily The genie heard.
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
an old word for “yes”
From this reading Speech shook him like a flame: "Yea, though thou plucked the stars from out the sky, Each lovely one would be a withered shame -- Each thou couldst find or name -- To this fire-hearted beauty!"
Chapter 2 of Young Adventure: A Book of Poems by Stephen Vincent Benét holds 185 sentences, grouped into 37 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 2 holds 185 sentences of Young Adventure: A Book of Poems, unabridged, divided into 37 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Young Adventure: A Book of Poems by Stephen Vincent Benét exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 185 sentences, grouped into 37 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 37 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 37 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 2 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 Young Adventure: A Book of Poems by Stephen Vincent Benét on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 862 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #312 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #312, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 71 minutes of reading across 173 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Young Adventure: A Book of Poems section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 5 chapters of Young Adventure: A Book of Poems 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 Young Adventure: A Book of Poems, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
