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Alf's Button

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Alf's Button is here in full — 206 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/41 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.
Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.
Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.
I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.
Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Alf's Button

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Alf's Button is here in full — 206 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/41 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.
Line 2
Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.
/ˈmɪstər ˈɑːrθər ˈkɑːlɪnz ənd ˈʌðər ˈstuːdənts ʌv ˈeɪn.ʃənt lɔːr hæv bɪn ˈeɪbəl ˈæftər ˈpeɪʃənt riˈsɜːrtʃ tuː ˌriːkənˈstrʌkt fɔːr ʌs ðə mæn æˈlædɪn ɪn hɪz ˈhæbət æz hiː lɪvd ənd tuː pleɪs bɪˈfɔːr ˈaʊər aɪz ə ˈfeɪθfəl ˈpɪktʃər ʌv hɪz taɪmz/
Line 3
Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.
Line 4
I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.
/aɪ ˌmaɪˈself ˌɪnˈklaɪn tuː ðə ˈθɪri ðæt æˈlædɪn əˈlaʊd ðə ˈsiː.krət ʌv hɪz ˈtæl.ɪz.mən tuː daɪ wɪð hɪm ənd ðæt hɪz ˈwɪdoʊ dɪˈspoʊzd ʌv æn ˈɑːbdʒekt huːz ˈprezəns ɪn hɜːr ˈhʌzbəndz kəˈlekʃən ʌv ˈɑːrtəkəlz ʌv ˈbɪɡətri ənd ˈvɝː.tʃuː ʃiː hæd ˈɔːlweɪz riˈzentɪd fɔːr wʌt ɪt wʊd fetʃ/
Line 5
Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

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.

Aladdin noun US /æˈlædɪn/

in the Arabian Nights a boy who acquires a magic lamp from which he can summon a genie

From this reading “_First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.”

bigotry noun US /ˈbɪɡətri/

the intolerance and prejudice of a bigot

From this reading “I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.”

incline noun US /ˌɪnˈklaɪn/

an elevated geological formation

From this reading “I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.”

lamented adjective US /ləˈmentɪd/

mourned or grieved for

From this reading “_First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.”

lore noun US /lɔːr/

knowledge gained through tradition or anecdote

From this reading “Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.”

reconstruct verb US /ˌriːkənˈstrʌkt/

reassemble mentally

From this reading “Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.”

stokes verb US /stoʊks/

third-person singular of “stoke” — stir up or tend; of a fire

From this reading “_First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.”

talisman noun US /ˈtæl.ɪz.mən/

An object, such as an inscribed ring or stone, thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck.

From this reading “I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.”

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.

curious fact adjective + noun

In this reading “_First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.”

wonderful Lamp adjective + noun

In this reading “_First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.”

entirely lost adverb + adjective

In this reading “Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.”

on the stage preposition + article + noun counted as “on … stage”

In this reading “Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.”

since the death preposition + article + noun counted as “since … death”

In this reading “_First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.”

in literature preposition + noun

In this reading “Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.”

All words in this reading · 127

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.

1920

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

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

ableadjectiveUS /ˈeɪbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

AladdinnounUS /æˈlædɪn/

in the Arabian Nights a boy who acquires a magic lamp from which he can summon a genie

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

AlikeadverbUS /əˈlaɪk/

equally

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

all-importantadjective

of the greatest importance

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

allowedverbUS /əˈlaʊd/

past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

AmericanounUS /əˈmerəkə/

North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

ArthurnounUS /ˈɑːrθər/

elected vice president and became 21st President of the United States when Garfield was assassinated (1830-1886)

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

articlesnounUS /ˈɑːrtəkəlz/

plural of “article” — nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

attractverbUS /əˈtrækt/

direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

batteredadjectiveUS /ˈbætərd/

damaged by blows or hard usage

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

bearingnounUS /ˈberɪŋ/

relevant relation or interconnection

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

bigotrynounUS /ˈbɪɡətri/

the intolerance and prejudice of a bigot

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

cannot

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

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

charactersnounUS /ˈkærəktərz/

plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

collectionnounUS /kəˈlekʃən/

several things grouped together or considered as a whole

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

CollinsnounUS /ˈkɑːlɪnz/

English writer noted for early detective novels (1824-1889)

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

COMPANYnounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

curiousadjectiveUS /ˈkjʊriəs/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

d'art

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

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

dieverbUS /daɪ/

pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

disposedadjectiveUS /dɪˈspoʊzd/

having made preparations

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

entirelyadverbUS /ɪnˈtaɪərli/

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

factnounUS /fækt/

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

faithfuladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪθfəl/

steadfast in affection or allegiance

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

fetchverbUS /fetʃ/

go or come after and bring or take back

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

FREDERICKnounUS /ˈfredrɪk/

a town in northern Maryland to the west of Baltimore

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

habitnounUS /ˈhæbət/

an established custom

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

half-effaced

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

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

husband'snounUS /ˈhʌzbəndz/

possessive form of “husband” — a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

inclinenounUS /ˌɪnˈklaɪn/

an elevated geological formation

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

inscriptionnounUS /ˌɪnˈskrɪpʃən/

letters inscribed (especially words engraved or carved) on something

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

lamentedadjectiveUS /ləˈmentɪd/

mourned or grieved for

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

LampnounUS /læmp/

an artificial source of visible illumination

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

literaturenounUS /ˈlɪtərətʃər/

creative writing of recognized artistic value

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

lorenounUS /lɔːr/

knowledge gained through tradition or anecdote

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

makesnounUS /meɪks/

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

objectnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekt/

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

objet

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

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

patientnounUS /ˈpeɪʃənt/

a person who requires medical care

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

picturenounUS /ˈpɪktʃər/

a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

playsnounUS /pleɪz/

plural of “play” — a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

portionnounUS /ˈpɔːrʃən/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

presencenounUS /ˈprezəns/

the state of being present; current existence

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

publishedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌblɪʃt/

prepared and printed for distribution and sale

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

reconstructverbUS /ˌriːkənˈstrʌkt/

reassemble mentally

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

researchnounUS /riˈsɜːrtʃ/

systematic investigation to establish facts

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

resentedverbUS /riˈzentɪd/

past form of “resent” — feel bitter or indignant about

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

seemsverbUS /siːmz/

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

stagenounUS /steɪdʒ/

any distinct time period in a sequence of events

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

STOKESverbUS /stoʊks/

third-person singular of “stoke” — stir up or tend; of a fire

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

studentsnounUS /ˈstuːdənts/

plural of “student” — a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

subsequentadjectiveUS /ˈsʌbsəkwənt/

following in time or order

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

supposeverbUS /səˈpoʊz/

express a supposition

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

surfacenounUS /ˈsɜːrfəs/

the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

talismannounUS /ˈtæl.ɪz.mən/

An object, such as an inscribed ring or stone, thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck.

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

theorynounUS /ˈθɪri/

a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Alike in literature and on the stage the Lamp plays an all-important part; and this makes it all the more strange that its subsequent history should have been so entirely lost.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

traditionnounUS /trəˈdɪʃən/

an inherited pattern of thought or action

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Mr. Arthur Collins and other students of ancient lore have been able, after patient research, to reconstruct for us the man Aladdin in his habit as he lived and to place before our eyes a faithful picture of his times.

virtuenounUS /ˈvɝː.tʃuː/

Moral excellence and goodness of character; the highest human attainment in Stoic philosophy.

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Its tradition once broken, we cannot suppose that an old battered lamp bearing on one portion of its surface a half-effaced inscription in forgotten characters would attract much attention as an _objet d'art_.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

widownounUS /ˈwɪdoʊ/

a woman whose husband is dead especially one who has not remarried

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

wonderfuladjectiveUS /ˈwʌndərfəl/

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading _First published in America by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _in 1920_ It is a curious fact that since the death of the late lamented Aladdin, nothing seems to have been heard of his wonderful Lamp.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading I myself incline to the theory that Aladdin allowed the secret of his talisman to die with him, and that his widow disposed of an object whose presence in her husband's collection of articles of "bigotry and virtue" she had always resented, for what it would fetch.

Chapter 1 of Alf's Button by W. A. (William Aubrey) Darlington holds 206 sentences, grouped into 42 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 Alf's Button contain?

Chapter 1 holds 206 sentences of Alf's Button, unabridged, divided into 42 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Alf's Button by W. A. (William Aubrey) Darlington exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 206 sentences, grouped into 42 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 Alf's Button?

Work through the 42 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 42 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 Alf's Button

Common questions about reading Alf's Button by W. A. (William Aubrey) Darlington on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Alf's Button?

Yes. All 4980 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #59775 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Alf's Button is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #59775, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Alf's Button take to read?

About 415 minutes of reading across 996 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Alf's Button section by section

How to work through Alf's Button section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 17 chapters of Alf's Button 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 Alf's Button

Words and structures a reader meets early in Alf's Button, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

First
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Alf's Button; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Published
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Alf's Button; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
America
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Alf's Button; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Frederick
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Alf's Button; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.