Chapter I
Chapter 1 of A message from Mars is here in full — 426 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
MINNIE. I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear. I’m quite content to go to bed. AUNT. Content.
A message from Mars
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of A message from Mars is here in full — 426 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
MINNIE.
I
don’t
want
to
inflict
this
on
you,
Auntie
dear.
I’m
quite
content
to
go
to
bed.
AUNT.
Content.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
A message from Mars
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of A message from Mars is here in full — 426 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/85 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
Line 1
MINNIE.
Line 2
I
don’t
want
to
inflict
this
on
you,
Auntie
dear.
Line 3
I’m
quite
content
to
go
to
bed.
Line 4
AUNT.
/ænt/
Line 5
Content.
/ˈkɑːntent/
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.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading “AUNT.”
Auntie
noun
US /ˈænti/
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading “I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.”
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading “I’m quite content to go to bed.”
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading “I’m quite content to go to bed.”
dearly loved
From this reading “I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.”
inflict
verb
US /ˌɪnˈflɪkt/
impose something unpleasant
From this reading “I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.”
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading “I’m quite content to go to bed.”
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading “I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.”
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.
All words in this reading · 17
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.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading AUNT.
AuntienounUS /ˈænti/
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading I’m quite content to go to bed.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading I’m quite content to go to bed.
dearly loved
From this reading I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I’m quite content to go to bed.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’m quite content to go to bed.
inflictverbUS /ˌɪnˈflɪkt/
impose something unpleasant
From this reading I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.
MINNIE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MINNIE.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading I’m quite content to go to bed.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I don’t want to inflict this on you, Auntie dear.
Chapter 1 of A message from Mars by Richard Ganthony holds 426 sentences, grouped into 86 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 1 of A message from Mars contain?
Chapter 1 holds 426 sentences of A message from Mars, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of A message from Mars by Richard Ganthony exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 426 sentences, grouped into 86 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 1 of A message from Mars?
Work through the 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 86 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 1 be read aloud to me?
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 A message from Mars
Common questions about reading A message from Mars by Richard Ganthony on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Is this the complete text of A message from Mars?
Yes. All 2536 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #74852 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Which edition of A message from Mars is used?
Project Gutenberg eBook #74852, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
How long does A message from Mars take to read?
About 211 minutes of reading across 508 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to read A message from Mars section by section
How to work through A message from Mars section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
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Open a chapter
Choose one of the 6 chapters of A message from Mars 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 A message from Mars
Words and structures a reader meets early in A message from Mars, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
- Minnie
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of A message from Mars; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Inflict
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of A message from Mars; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Auntie
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of A message from Mars; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Quite
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of A message from Mars; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.