Chapter 1 of Actions and reactions is here in full — 213 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Actions and reactions is here in full — 213 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“But why was it allowed to get like this?” said Sophie. “Tis with housen as teeth,” he replied. “Let 'em go too far, and there's nothing to be done. Time was they was minded to sell her, but none would buy. She was too far away along from any place.
Chapter 1 of Actions and reactions is here in full — 213 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 35/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 171–175
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.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading ““But why was it allowed to get like this?” said Sophie.”
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading “She was too far away along from any place.”
obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading “Time was they was minded to sell her, but none would buy.”
(used in combination) mentally oriented toward something specified
From this reading “Time was they was minded to sell her, but none would buy.”
not one, and not any
From this reading “Time was they was minded to sell her, but none would buy.”
exchange or deliver for money or its equivalent
From this reading “Time was they was minded to sell her, but none would buy.”
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading ““Tis with housen as teeth,” he replied.”
plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
From this reading ““Tis with housen as teeth,” he replied.”
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.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading “But why was it allowed to get like this?” said Sophie.
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading She was too far away along from any place.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Let 'em go too far, and there's nothing to be done.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading She was too far away along from any place.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Tis with housen as teeth,” he replied.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She was too far away along from any place.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Let 'em go too far, and there's nothing to be done.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But why was it allowed to get like this?” said Sophie.
obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading Time was they was minded to sell her, but none would buy.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading “Let 'em go too far, and there's nothing to be done.
a quad with a square body
From this reading “Let 'em go too far, and there's nothing to be done.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading “Let 'em go too far, and there's nothing to be done.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She was too far away along from any place.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “But why was it allowed to get like this?” said Sophie.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Let 'em go too far, and there's nothing to be done.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Tis with housen as teeth,” he replied.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Time was they was minded to sell her, but none would buy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Tis with housen as teeth,” he replied.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “But why was it allowed to get like this?” said Sophie.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading “Let 'em go too far, and there's nothing to be done.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “But why was it allowed to get like this?” said Sophie.
(used in combination) mentally oriented toward something specified
From this reading Time was they was minded to sell her, but none would buy.
not one, and not any
From this reading Time was they was minded to sell her, but none would buy.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “Let 'em go too far, and there's nothing to be done.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading She was too far away along from any place.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading “Tis with housen as teeth,” he replied.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “But why was it allowed to get like this?” said Sophie.
exchange or deliver for money or its equivalent
From this reading Time was they was minded to sell her, but none would buy.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was too far away along from any place.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “But why was it allowed to get like this?” said Sophie.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading “Tis with housen as teeth,” he replied.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Let 'em go too far, and there's nothing to be done.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Time was they was minded to sell her, but none would buy.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “But why was it allowed to get like this?” said Sophie.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Time was they was minded to sell her, but none would buy.
plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
From this reading “Tis with housen as teeth,” he replied.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “But why was it allowed to get like this?” said Sophie.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading “Let 'em go too far, and there's nothing to be done.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “But why was it allowed to get like this?” said Sophie.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading “But why was it allowed to get like this?” said Sophie.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Tis with housen as teeth,” he replied.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Time was they was minded to sell her, but none would buy.
Chapter 1 of Actions and reactions by Rudyard Kipling holds 213 sentences, grouped into 43 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 1 holds 213 sentences of Actions and reactions, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Actions and reactions by Rudyard Kipling exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 213 sentences, grouped into 43 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 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 43 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 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.
Common questions about reading Actions and reactions by Rudyard Kipling on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4931 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2381 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #2381, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 410 minutes of reading across 987 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Actions and reactions section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 24 chapters of Actions and reactions 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 Actions and reactions, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
