Chapter 5 of A Phyllis of the Sierras is here in full — 172 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter V
Chapter 5 of A Phyllis of the Sierras is here in full — 172 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Important business,” suggested Richelieu; “that's the perlite style.” “Ef you like.” She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids. “Mind Nip!”--the squirrel--he practically suggested. For an instant their blond curls mingled on the pillow.
Chapter 5 of A Phyllis of the Sierras is here in full — 172 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/34 · 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.
being or having light colored skin and hair and usually blue or grey eyes
From this reading “For an instant their blond curls mingled on the pillow.”
plural of “curl” — a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)
From this reading “For an instant their blond curls mingled on the pillow.”
plural of “dew” — water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air
From this reading “She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.”
plural of “lid” — either of two folds of skin that can be moved to cover or open the eye
From this reading “She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.”
squeeze tightly between the fingers
From this reading ““Mind Nip!”--the squirrel--he practically suggested.”
almost; nearly
From this reading ““Mind Nip!”--the squirrel--he practically suggested.”
French prelate and statesman; principal minister to Louis XIII (1585-1642)
From this reading ““Important business,” suggested Richelieu; “that's the perlite style.””
a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail
From this reading ““Mind Nip!”--the squirrel--he practically suggested.”
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 form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For an instant their blond curls mingled on the pillow.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
being or having light colored skin and hair and usually blue or grey eyes
From this reading For an instant their blond curls mingled on the pillow.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading “Important business,” suggested Richelieu; “that's the perlite style.”
plural of “curl” — a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)
From this reading For an instant their blond curls mingled on the pillow.
slightly wet
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
plural of “dew” — water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Ef you like.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For an instant their blond curls mingled on the pillow.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Mind Nip!”--the squirrel--he practically suggested.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
of great significance or value
From this reading “Important business,” suggested Richelieu; “that's the perlite style.”
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading For an instant their blond curls mingled on the pillow.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
plural of “lid” — either of two folds of skin that can be moved to cover or open the eye
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “Ef you like.”
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading “Mind Nip!”--the squirrel--he practically suggested.
past form of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else
From this reading For an instant their blond curls mingled on the pillow.
squeeze tightly between the fingers
From this reading “Mind Nip!”--the squirrel--he practically suggested.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For an instant their blond curls mingled on the pillow.
above and across; more than
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Important business,” suggested Richelieu; “that's the perlite style.”
a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person
From this reading For an instant their blond curls mingled on the pillow.
almost; nearly
From this reading “Mind Nip!”--the squirrel--he practically suggested.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
French prelate and statesman; principal minister to Louis XIII (1585-1642)
From this reading “Important business,” suggested Richelieu; “that's the perlite style.”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail
From this reading “Mind Nip!”--the squirrel--he practically suggested.
not in physical motion
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading “Important business,” suggested Richelieu; “that's the perlite style.”
past form of “suggest” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading “Important business,” suggested Richelieu; “that's the perlite style.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Important business,” suggested Richelieu; “that's the perlite style.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Important business,” suggested Richelieu; “that's the perlite style.”
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading For an instant their blond curls mingled on the pillow.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Ef you like.”
Chapter 5 of A Phyllis of the Sierras by Bret Harte holds 172 sentences, grouped into 35 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.
Chapter 5 holds 172 sentences of A Phyllis of the Sierras, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 5 of A Phyllis of the Sierras by Bret Harte exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 172 sentences, grouped into 35 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 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 35 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 5 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 A Phyllis of the Sierras by Bret Harte on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1391 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2711 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #2711, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 115 minutes of reading across 279 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through A Phyllis of the Sierras section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 8 chapters of A Phyllis of the Sierras 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 A Phyllis of the Sierras, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
