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Alcatraz
Alcatraz

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Alcatraz is here in full — 95 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Alcatraz
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.
Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.
For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.
Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.
She is waiting for the coming of a real man, she is waiting for the coming of a true master out of the horizon!"
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Alcatraz

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Alcatraz is here in full — 95 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.
Line 2
Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.
Line 3
For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.
Line 4
Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.
/sez ðə ʃiːk aɪ hæv reɪzd maɪ mer frʌm ə foʊl ənd aʊt ʌv lʌv fɔːr miː ʃiː wɪl leɪ daʊn hɜːr laɪf bʌt wen aɪ kʌm aʊt tuː hɜːr ɪn ðə ˈmɔːrnɪŋ wen aɪ fiːd hɜːr ənd ɡɪv hɜːr ˈwɔːtər ʃiː stɪl lʊks bɪˈɑːnd miː ənd əˈkrɔːs ðə ˈdezərt/
Line 5
She is waiting for the coming of a real man, she is waiting for the coming of a true master out of the horizon!"
/ʃiː ɪz ˈweɪtɪŋ fɔːr ðə ˈkʌmɪŋ ʌv ə riːl mæn ʃiː ɪz ˈweɪtɪŋ fɔːr ðə ˈkʌmɪŋ ʌv ə truː ˈmæstər aʊt ʌv ðə hərˈaɪzən/

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.

Eagles noun US /ˈiːɡəlz/

plural of “eagle” — any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight

From this reading “The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.”

evergreen noun US /ˈevərɡriːn/

a plant having foliage that persists and remains green throughout the year

From this reading “The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.”

foal noun US /foʊl/

a young horse

From this reading “Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.”

foothills noun US /ˈfʊthɪlz/

plural of “foothill” — a relatively low hill on the lower slope of a mountain

From this reading “The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.”

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 “Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.”

scents noun US /sents/

plural of “scent” — a distinctive odor that is pleasant

From this reading “The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.”

Sheik noun US /ʃiːk/

the leader of an Arab village or family

From this reading “Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.”

stallion noun US /ˈstæljən/

uncastrated adult male horse

From this reading “The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.”

All words in this reading · 101

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 The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

ArabnounUS /ˈærəb/

a member of a Semitic people originally from the Arabian peninsula and surrounding territories who speaks Arabic and who inhabits much of the Middle East and northern Africa

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

beliefnounUS /bɪˈliːf/

any cognitive content held as true

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

blewverbUS /bluː/

inflected form of “blow” — exhale hard

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

breathnounUS /breθ/

the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

breezenounUS /briːz/

a slight wind (usually refreshing)

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

caughtverbUS /kɑːt/

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

chestnutadjectiveUS /ˈtʃesnʌt/

(of hair or feathers) of a golden brown to reddish brown color

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading She is waiting for the coming of a real man, she is waiting for the coming of a true master out of the horizon!"

coolnessnounUS /ˈkuːlnəs/

calm and unruffled self-assurance

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

corralverbUS /kərˈæl/

enclose in a corral

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

desertverbUS /ˈdezərt/

leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

drewnounUS /druː/

United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

EaglesnounUS /ˈiːɡəlz/

plural of “eagle” — any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

enchantingadjectiveUS /enˈtʃæntɪŋ/

capturing interest as if by a spell

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

evergreennounUS /ˈevərɡriːn/

a plant having foliage that persists and remains green throughout the year

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

far-offadjective

very far away in space or time

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

far-seeing

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

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

feedverbUS /fiːd/

provide as food

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

fieldsnounUS /fiːldz/

United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

flashverbUS /flæʃ/

gleam or glow intermittently

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

foalnounUS /foʊl/

a young horse

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

foothillsnounUS /ˈfʊthɪlz/

plural of “foothill” — a relatively low hill on the lower slope of a mountain

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

gatheredadjectiveUS /ˈɡæðərd/

brought together in one place

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

haltedverbUS /ˈhɔːltəd/

past form of “halt” — cause to stop

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

horizonnounUS /hərˈaɪzən/

the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet

From this reading She is waiting for the coming of a real man, she is waiting for the coming of a true master out of the horizon!"

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading She is waiting for the coming of a real man, she is waiting for the coming of a true master out of the horizon!"

JordannounUS /ˈdʒɔːrdən/

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

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

JustadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

leaguenounUS /liːɡ/

an association of sports teams that organizes matches for its members

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

lengthnounUS /leŋkθ/

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

liftedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪftəd/

held up in the air

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

looksnounUS /lʊks/

plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading She is waiting for the coming of a real man, she is waiting for the coming of a true master out of the horizon!"

manenounUS /meɪn/

long coarse hair growing from the crest of the animal's neck

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

marenounUS /mer/

female equine animal

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

Marianne

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

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

masternounUS /ˈmæstər/

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading She is waiting for the coming of a real man, she is waiting for the coming of a true master out of the horizon!"

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

mountainsnounUS /ˈmaʊntənz/

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

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

perfectionnounUS /pərˈfekʃən/

the state of being without a flaw or defect

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

pleasurenounUS /ˈpleʒər/

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

ponynounUS /ˈpoʊniː/

a range horse of the western United States

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

puritynounUS /ˈpjʊrəti/

being undiluted or unmixed with extraneous material

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

raisedadjectiveUS /reɪzd/

located or moved above the surround or above the normal position

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading She is waiting for the coming of a real man, she is waiting for the coming of a true master out of the horizon!"

SaysnounUS /sez/

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

scentsnounUS /sents/

plural of “scent” — a distinctive odor that is pleasant

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

SheiknounUS /ʃiːk/

the leader of an Arab village or family

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

slopesnounUS /sloʊps/

plural of “slope” — an elevated geological formation

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

stallionnounUS /ˈstæljən/

uncastrated adult male horse

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

tailnounUS /teɪl/

the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading For she had caught from the chestnut in the corral one flash of perfection and those far-seeing eyes called to mind the Arab belief.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

touchverbUS /tʌtʃ/

make physical contact with, come in contact with

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading She is waiting for the coming of a real man, she is waiting for the coming of a true master out of the horizon!"

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading She is waiting for the coming of a real man, she is waiting for the coming of a true master out of the horizon!"

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Just as his head went up, just as the breeze lifted mane and tail, Marianne Jordan halted her pony and drew in her breath with pleasure.

westnounUS /west/

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

wideadjectiveUS /waɪd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Says the Sheik: "I have raised my mare from a foal, and out of love for me she will lay down her life; but when I come out to her in the morning, when I feed her and give her water, she still looks beyond me and across the desert.

windnounUS /waɪnd/

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The west wind came over the Eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen slopes of the mountains, blew across the foothills and league wide fields, and came at length to the stallion with a touch of coolness and enchanting scents of far-off things.

Chapter 1 of Alcatraz by Max Brand holds 95 sentences, grouped into 19 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 Alcatraz contain?

Chapter 1 holds 95 sentences of Alcatraz, unabridged, divided into 19 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Alcatraz by Max Brand exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 95 sentences, grouped into 19 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 Alcatraz?

Work through the 19 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 19 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 Alcatraz

Common questions about reading Alcatraz by Max Brand on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Alcatraz?

Yes. All 4079 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #11195 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Alcatraz is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #11195, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Alcatraz take to read?

About 339 minutes of reading across 816 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Alcatraz section by section

How to work through Alcatraz section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 27 chapters of Alcatraz 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 Alcatraz

Words and structures a reader meets early in Alcatraz, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Eagles
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Alcatraz; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Gathered
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Alcatraz; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Purity
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Alcatraz; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Evergreen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Alcatraz; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.