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A Ride Across Palestine
A Ride Across Palestine

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of A Ride Across Palestine is here in full — 788 sentences across 158 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/157 · 5 lines
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A RIDE ACROSS PALESTINE.
CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.
I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.
At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.
Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Ride Across Palestine

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of A Ride Across Palestine is here in full — 788 sentences across 158 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/157 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A RIDE ACROSS PALESTINE.
/ə raɪd əˈkrɔːs ˈpæləstaɪn/
Line 2
CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.
Line 3
I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.
/aɪ ækˈnɑːlɪdʒ ˌmaɪˈself tuː biː ə ɡrəˈɡeriəs ˈænəməl ɔːr pərˈhæps ˈræðər wʌn ʌv ðoʊz wɪtʃ ˈneɪtʃər hæz ˌɪnˈtendɪd tuː ɡoʊ ɪn perz/
Line 4
At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.
Line 5
Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

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.

gregarious adjective US /ɡrəˈɡeriəs/

(of animals) tending to form a group with others of the same species

From this reading “I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.”

Jericho noun US /ˈdʒerɪkoʊ/

a village in Palestine near the north end of the Dead Sea; in the Old Testament it was the first place taken by the Israelites under Joshua as they entered the Promised Land

From this reading “Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.”

Jerusalem noun US /dʒərˈuːsələm/

capital and largest city of the modern state of Israel (although its status as capital is disputed)

From this reading “At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.”

Jordan noun US /ˈdʒɔːrdən/

a river in Palestine that empties into the Dead Sea; John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan

From this reading “Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.”

Olives noun US /ˈɑːlɪvz/

plural of “olive” — small ovoid fruit of the European olive tree; important food and source of oil

From this reading “CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.”

pairs noun US /perz/

plural of “pair” — a set of two similar things considered as a unit

From this reading “I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.”

palestine noun US /ˈpæləstaɪn/

a former British mandate on the east coast of the Mediterranean; divided between Jordan and Israel in 1948

From this reading “A RIDE ACROSS PALESTINE.”

wanderings noun US /ˈwɑːndərɪŋz/

plural of “wandering” — travelling about without any clear destination

From this reading “At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.”

All words in this reading · 95

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 A RIDE ACROSS PALESTINE.

acknowledgeverbUS /ækˈnɑːlɪdʒ/

declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

ACROSSprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading A RIDE ACROSS PALESTINE.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

animalnounUS /ˈænəməl/

a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

banksnounUS /bæŋks/

English botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific Ocean (1743-1820)

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

Bethany

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

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

ChurchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

CIRCUMSTANCESnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəmstænsəz/

your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

companionnounUS /kəmˈpænjən/

a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

compelledverbUS /kəmˈpeld/

inflected form of “compel” — force somebody to do something

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

DeadadjectiveUS /ded/

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

devilnounUS /ˈdevəl/

(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

dislikenounUS /dɪˈslaɪk/

an inclination to withhold approval from some person or group

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

EarlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

especiallyadverbUS /əˈspeʃli/

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

fortyadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrti/

being ten more than thirty

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

gregariousadjectiveUS /ɡrəˈɡeriəs/

(of animals) tending to form a group with others of the same species

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

HolynounUS /ˈhoʊli/

a sacred place of pilgrimage

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

horsebacknounUS /ˈhɔːrsbæk/

the back of a horse

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

hotelnounUS /hoʊˈtel/

a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

intendedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtendɪd/

resulting from one's intentions

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

JerichonounUS /ˈdʒerɪkoʊ/

a village in Palestine near the north end of the Dead Sea; in the Old Testament it was the first place taken by the Israelites under Joshua as they entered the Promised Land

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

JerusalemnounUS /dʒərˈuːsələm/

capital and largest city of the modern state of Israel (although its status as capital is disputed)

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

JordannounUS /ˈdʒɔːrdən/

a river in Palestine that empties into the Dead Sea; John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

LandnounUS /lænd/

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

MountverbUS /maʊnt/

attach to a support

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

mountainsnounUS /ˈmaʊntənz/

plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

OlivesnounUS /ˈɑːlɪvz/

plural of “olive” — small ovoid fruit of the European olive tree; important food and source of oil

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

OurdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

pairsnounUS /perz/

plural of “pair” — a set of two similar things considered as a unit

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

PALESTINEnounUS /ˈpæləstaɪn/

a former British mandate on the east coast of the Mediterranean; divided between Jordan and Israel in 1948

From this reading A RIDE ACROSS PALESTINE.

perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

proposedverbUS /prəˈpoʊzd/

past form of “propose” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

ratenounUS /reɪt/

a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

RIDEverbUS /raɪd/

sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading A RIDE ACROSS PALESTINE.

snounUS /es/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

sadadjectiveUS /sæd/

experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

Saviournoun

a teacher and prophet born in Bethlehem and active in Nazareth; his life and sermons form the basis for Christianity (circa 4 BC - AD 29)

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

SeanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

Sepulchrenoun

a chamber that is used as a grave

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

solitudenounUS /ˈsɑːlətuːd/

a state of social isolation

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

startverbUS /stɑːrt/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

supposedadjectiveUS /səˈpoʊzd/

required or under orders

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

temptedverbUS /ˈtemptɪd/

past form of “tempt” — dispose or incline or entice to

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

thinkingnounUS /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/

the process of using your mind to consider something carefully

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

travellingnounUS /ˈtrævəlɪŋ/

the act of going from one place to another

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

visitverbUS /ˈvɪzɪt/

go to see a place, as for entertainment

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

wanderedverbUS /ˈwɑːndərd/

past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

wanderingsnounUS /ˈwɑːndərɪŋz/

plural of “wandering” — travelling about without any clear destination

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading I acknowledge myself to be a gregarious animal, or, perhaps, rather one of those which nature has intended to go in pairs.

wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/

(politics) a state of disfavor

From this reading Early on the following morning I intended to start, of course on horseback, for the Dead Sea, the banks of Jordan, Jericho, and those mountains of the wilderness through which it is supposed that Our Saviour wandered for the forty days when the devil tempted him.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading CIRCUMSTANCES took me to the Holy Land without a companion, and compelled me to visit Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Sepulchre alone.

ZnounUS /ziː/

the ending of a series or sequence

From this reading At any rate I dislike solitude, and especially travelling solitude, and was, therefore, rather sad at heart as I sat one night at Z—’s hotel, in Jerusalem, thinking over my proposed wanderings for the next few days.

Chapter 1 of A Ride Across Palestine by Anthony Trollope holds 788 sentences, grouped into 158 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.

What does chapter 1 of A Ride Across Palestine contain?

Chapter 1 holds 788 sentences of A Ride Across Palestine, unabridged, divided into 158 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of A Ride Across Palestine by Anthony Trollope exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 788 sentences, grouped into 158 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 Ride Across Palestine?

Work through the 158 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 158 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 Ride Across Palestine

Common questions about reading A Ride Across Palestine by Anthony Trollope on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Ride Across Palestine?

Yes. All 788 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3723 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Ride Across Palestine is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3723, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Ride Across Palestine take to read?

About 65 minutes of reading across 158 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Ride Across Palestine section by section

How to work through A Ride Across Palestine section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of A Ride Across Palestine 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 A Ride Across Palestine

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Ride Across Palestine, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Across
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Ride Across Palestine; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Palestine
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Ride Across Palestine; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Circumstances
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Ride Across Palestine; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Without
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Ride Across Palestine; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.