Chapter 1 of Bel Ami is here in full — 152 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Bel Ami is here in full — 152 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Where does M. Forestier live?" "Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination. Georges ascended the staircase. He was somewhat embarrassed and ill-at-ease. He had on a new suit but he was uncomfortable.
Chapter 1 of Bel Ami is here in full — 152 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
past form of “ascend” — travel up
From this reading “Georges ascended the staircase.”
the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)
From this reading “"Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.”
feeling or caused to feel ill at ease or self-conscious or ashamed
From this reading “He was somewhat embarrassed and ill-at-ease.”
plural of “george” — Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading “Georges ascended the staircase.”
in a cheerful manner
From this reading “"Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.”
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
From this reading “"Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.”
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading “Georges ascended the staircase.”
conducive to or feeling mental discomfort
From this reading “He had on a new suit but he was uncomfortable.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had on a new suit but he was uncomfortable.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was somewhat embarrassed and ill-at-ease.
past form of “ascend” — travel up
From this reading Georges ascended the staircase.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had on a new suit but he was uncomfortable.
the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)
From this reading "Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Where does M. Forestier live?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.
feeling or caused to feel ill at ease or self-conscious or ashamed
From this reading He was somewhat embarrassed and ill-at-ease.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading "Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Where does M. Forestier live?"
plural of “george” — Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading Georges ascended the staircase.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had on a new suit but he was uncomfortable.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was somewhat embarrassed and ill-at-ease.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was somewhat embarrassed and ill-at-ease.
the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge
From this reading "Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading "Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading "Where does M. Forestier live?"
the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)
From this reading "Where does M. Forestier live?"
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading He had on a new suit but he was uncomfortable.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.
in a cheerful manner
From this reading "Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
From this reading "Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading He was somewhat embarrassed and ill-at-ease.
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading Georges ascended the staircase.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading He had on a new suit but he was uncomfortable.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading "Third floor on the left," said the porter pleasantly, on learning Duroy's destination.
conducive to or feeling mental discomfort
From this reading He had on a new suit but he was uncomfortable.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was somewhat embarrassed and ill-at-ease.
in or at the place that
From this reading "Where does M. Forestier live?"
Chapter 1 of Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant holds 152 sentences, grouped into 31 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.
Chapter 1 holds 152 sentences of Bel Ami, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 152 sentences, grouped into 31 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 31 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3750 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3733 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #3733, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 312 minutes of reading across 750 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Bel Ami section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 17 chapters of Bel Ami to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Bel Ami, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
