Under the Lilacs
Under the Lilacs by Louisa May Alcott is available here as the complete public-domain text, split into 632 reading sections of 5 sentences, each with audio and tap-to-define vocabulary.
Under the Lilacs by Louisa May Alcott. Complete public-domain text from Project Gutenberg eBook #3795.
Course Syllabus
This syllabus gives direct access to every published chapter and its complete sequence of five-line English readings.
Under the Lilacs
Select a chapter to continue in the Cinema Lecture Hall with line-by-line English learning.
0 of 621 original contextual illustrations are live; remaining readings use the book cover while their artwork is reviewed.
- Chapter I Chapter 1
- Chapter II Chapter 2
- Chapter III Chapter 3
- Chapter IV Chapter 4
- Chapter V Chapter 5
- Chapter VI Chapter 6
- Chapter VII Chapter 7
- Chapter VIII Chapter 8
- Chapter IX Chapter 9
- Chapter X Chapter 10
- Chapter XI Chapter 11
- Chapter XII Chapter 12
- Chapter XIII Chapter 13
- Chapter XIV Chapter 14
- Chapter XV Chapter 15
- Chapter XVI Chapter 16
- Chapter XVII Chapter 17
- Chapter XVIII Chapter 18
- Chapter XIX Chapter 19
- Chapter XX Chapter 20
- Chapter XXI Chapter 21
- Chapter XXII Chapter 22
- Chapter XXIII Chapter 23
This edition of Under the Lilacs by Louisa May Alcott carries the complete text of Project Gutenberg eBook #3795, divided into 23 chapters and 632 reading sections of 5 sentences each. Every sentence of the source is kept, and each chapter records which sentences cover which part of the story. Any word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry, and each section carries a contextual illustration generated from the passage itself.
Where can I read Under the Lilacs in full?
The complete text of Under the Lilacs is here, taken from Project Gutenberg eBook #3795 and divided into 632 sections.
This page carries the whole of Under the Lilacs by Louisa May Alcott, not an abridgement or a summary. The text comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #3795, a public-domain edition, with the Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence removed so that only the work itself remains. It runs to 3158 sentences across 23 chapters. Each chapter stores a record of which sentences cover which part of the work, so nothing is quietly dropped between the source edition and the page you read.
How is Under the Lilacs divided for reading?
Under the Lilacs is presented in 23 chapters, each split into sections of 5 sentences for steady reading.
Rather than presenting Under the Lilacs as unbroken pages, the text is grouped into 632 sections of 5 sentences each. A section is short enough to hold in mind at once, which suits a reader working in a second language or returning to a long work in short sittings. The 23 chapters follow the divisions of the source edition, and each section carries a contextual illustration drawn from the passage it accompanies rather than a stock image.
Can I hear Under the Lilacs read aloud?
Yes. Every sentence and every individual word of Under the Lilacs can be played aloud, and each word shows its dictionary entry.
Every sentence of Under the Lilacs can be played aloud, and so can any single word within it. Tapping a word plays it on its own and opens its dictionary entry, with the pronunciation shown in IPA alongside the part of speech and meaning. The reading voice uses United States English. This matters most for a work of this period, where a reader meets vocabulary and turns of phrase that are no longer in daily use and cannot be guessed reliably from spelling alone.
Questions about reading Under the Lilacs
Common questions about reading Under the Lilacs by Louisa May Alcott on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Is this the complete text of Under the Lilacs?
Yes. All 3158 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3795 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Which edition of Under the Lilacs is used?
Project Gutenberg eBook #3795, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
How long does Under the Lilacs take to read?
About 263 minutes of reading across 632 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to read Under the Lilacs section by section
How to work through Under the Lilacs section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
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Open a chapter
Choose one of the 23 chapters of Under the Lilacs to begin.
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Read one section
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
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Listen and tap
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Vocabulary met early in Under the Lilacs
Words and structures a reader meets early in Under the Lilacs, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
- Neither
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under the Lilacs; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Spoke
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under the Lilacs; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Minute
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under the Lilacs; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Astonishment
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under the Lilacs; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.