Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
A Sharper's Downfall
A Sharper's Downfall

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of A Sharper's Downfall is here in full — 125 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Nicholas (House name) Carter • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for A Sharper's Downfall
Context Illustration Reading 1/25 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A SUCCESSFUL BURGLARY.
In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.
Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.
The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.
The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Sharper's Downfall

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of A Sharper's Downfall is here in full — 125 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A SUCCESSFUL BURGLARY.
/ə səkˈsesfəl ˈbɜːrɡləri/
Line 2
In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.
Line 3
Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.
/ˈentrəns tuː ðə haʊs ɪz sɪˈkjʊrd θruː ə dɔːr riːtʃt baɪ wʌn ɔːr tuː steps frʌm ðə ˈpeɪvmənt/
Line 4
The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.
Line 5
The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.
/ðə frʌnt ˈpɑːrlər ɪz ˌenˈlɑːrdʒd ənd ðə frʌnt ʌv ðə haʊs ˈɔːrnəmentɪd baɪ ə beɪ ˈwɪndoʊ ɪkˈstendɪŋ sʌm θriː fiːt bɪˈɑːnd ðə laɪn ʌv ðə haʊs/

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.

basement noun US /ˈbeɪsmənt/

the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage

From this reading “In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
burglary noun US /ˈbɜːrɡləri/

entering a building unlawfully with intent to commit a felony or to steal valuable property

From this reading “A SUCCESSFUL BURGLARY.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
conspicuous adjective US /kənˈspɪkjuːəs/

obvious to the eye or mind

From this reading “In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
differs verb US /ˈdɪfərz/

third-person singular of “differ” — be different

From this reading “In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
enlarged adjective US /ˌenˈlɑːrdʒd/

(of an organ or body part) excessively enlarged as a result of increased size in the constituent cells

From this reading “The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
extending verb US /ɪkˈstendɪŋ/

-ing form of “extend” — extend in scope or range or area

From this reading “The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ornamented verb US /ˈɔːrnəmentɪd/

past form of “ornament” — make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.

From this reading “The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
parlors noun US /ˈpɑːrlərz/

plural of “parlor” — reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received

From this reading “The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

front parlor noun + noun

In this reading “The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.”

358 times in 426,211 chapters
second floor noun + noun

In this reading “The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.”

2,998 times in 426,211 chapters
bay window noun + noun

slang for a paunch

In this reading “The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.”

750 times in 426,211 chapters
lower hall verb + noun

In this reading “The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.”

678 times in 426,211 chapters
three feet noun + noun counted as “three foot”

In this reading “The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.”

5,105 times in 426,211 chapters
on a level preposition + article + noun counted as “on … level”

In this reading “The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.”

4,747 times in 426,211 chapters
two steps noun + noun

In this reading “Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.”

1,746 times in 426,211 chapters
through a door preposition + article + noun counted as “through … door”

In this reading “Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.”

6,546 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 69

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 SUCCESSFUL BURGLARY.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AvenuenounUS /ˈævənuː/

a line of approach

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
basementnounUS /ˈbeɪsmənt/

the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
baynounUS /beɪ/

an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

From this reading The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
BURGLARYnounUS /ˈbɜːrɡləri/

entering a building unlawfully with intent to commit a felony or to steal valuable property

From this reading A SUCCESSFUL BURGLARY.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
conspicuousadjectiveUS /kənˈspɪkjuːəs/

obvious to the eye or mind

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
constructionnounUS /kənˈstrʌkʃən/

the act of constructing something

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
differsverbUS /ˈdɪfərz/

third-person singular of “differ” — be different

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dining-roomnoun

a room used for dining

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eastnounUS /iːst/

the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
enlargedadjectiveUS /ˌenˈlɑːrdʒd/

(of an organ or body part) excessively enlarged as a result of increased size in the constituent cells

From this reading The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EntrancenounUS /ˈentrəns/

something that provides access (to get in or get out)

From this reading Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
extendingverbUS /ɪkˈstendɪŋ/

-ing form of “extend” — extend in scope or range or area

From this reading The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FifthnounUS /fɪfθ/

a quantity of liquor equal to one fifth of a United States gallon

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
flightnounUS /flaɪt/

a formation of aircraft in flight

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hallnounUS /hɔːl/

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
levelnounUS /ˈlevəl/

a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
linenounUS /laɪn/

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lowerverbUS /ˈloʊər/

move something or somebody to a lower position

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nearlyadverbUS /ˈnɪrli/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
neighborsnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/

plural of “neighbor” — a person who lives (or is located) near another

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ornamentedverbUS /ˈɔːrnəmentɪd/

past form of “ornament” — make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.

From this reading The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
parlornounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/

reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received

From this reading The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
parlorsnounUS /ˈpɑːrlərz/

plural of “parlor” — reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pavementnounUS /ˈpeɪvmənt/

the paved surface of a thoroughfare

From this reading Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/

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

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
securedverbUS /sɪˈkjʊrd/

past form of “secure” — get by special effort

From this reading Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stairsnounUS /sterz/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stepsnounUS /steps/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
StreetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stylenounUS /staɪl/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SUCCESSFULadjectiveUS /səkˈsesfəl/

having succeeded or being marked by a favorable outcome

From this reading A SUCCESSFUL BURGLARY.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Thirty-fifthadjective

the ordinal number of thirty-five in counting order

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Entrance to the house is secured through a door reached by one or two steps from the pavement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
varietynounUS /vərˈaɪəti/

a collection containing a variety of sorts of things

From this reading In Thirty-fifth Street, east of Fifth Avenue, there is a house conspicuous among its neighbors in that it differs in construction by being of the variety known as the English basement style.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
windownounUS /ˈwɪndoʊ/

a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air

From this reading The front parlor is enlarged and the front of the house ornamented by a bay window extending some three feet beyond the line of the house.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The dining-room of the house is nearly on a level with the street, while the parlors are on the second floor, reached from the lower hall by a flight of stairs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 1 of A Sharper's Downfall by Nicholas (House name) Carter holds 125 sentences, grouped into 25 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 Sharper's Downfall contain?

Chapter 1 holds 125 sentences of A Sharper's Downfall, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of A Sharper's Downfall by Nicholas (House name) Carter exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 125 sentences, grouped into 25 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 Sharper's Downfall?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 Sharper's Downfall

Common questions about reading A Sharper's Downfall by Nicholas (House name) Carter on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Sharper's Downfall?

Yes. All 3920 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #66718 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Sharper's Downfall is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #66718, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Sharper's Downfall take to read?

About 326 minutes of reading across 784 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Sharper's Downfall section by section

How to work through A Sharper's Downfall section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of A Sharper's Downfall 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 Sharper's Downfall

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Sharper's Downfall, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Successful
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Sharper's Downfall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Burglary
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Sharper's Downfall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thirty-fifth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Sharper's Downfall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Street
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Sharper's Downfall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.