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Bodyguard
Bodyguard

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Bodyguard is here in full — 451 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Bodyguard
Context Illustration Reading 1/90 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.
The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!
The man at the bar was exceptionally handsome, and he knew it.
So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.
Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.
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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.

Bodyguard

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Bodyguard is here in full — 451 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/90 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.
/wen ˌoʊvərˈwelmɪŋ ˈdeɪndʒər ɪz ˈkɑːnstəntli ˈprezənt ʌv kɔːrs ə mæn ɪz enˈtaɪtəld tuː hæv ə ˈbɑːdiɡɑːrd/
Line 2
The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!
/ðə əˈnɔɪəns wɑːz ðæt hiː hæd tuː duː ɪt hɪmˈself ənd hɪz ˈbɑːdi wʊd nɑːt koʊˈɑːpəreɪt/
Line 3
The man at the bar was exceptionally handsome, and he knew it.
/ðə mæn æt ðə bɑːr wɑːz ɪkˈsepʃənəli ˈhænsəm ənd hiː nuː ɪt/
Line 4
So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.
Line 5
Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.
/ˈevriwʌn ɪn ðə ruːm wɑːz əˈwer ʌv ðə bɪɡ jʌŋ mæn ənd moʊst ʌv ðə ˈhjuːmənz ˈprezənt wɜːr rɪˈzentfəl fɔːr hiː ˈhændəld hɪmˈself ˈkɑːnʃəsli ənd ˈerəɡəntli æz ɪf hɪz əˈpɪrəns əˈloʊn wɜːr ɪˈnʌf tuː meɪk hɪm suːˈpɪriər tuː ˈeniwʌn/

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.

arrogantly adverb US /ˈerəɡəntli/

in an arrogant manner

From this reading “Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.”

bodyguard noun US /ˈbɑːdiɡɑːrd/

someone who escorts and protects a prominent person

From this reading “When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.”

consciously adverb US /ˈkɑːnʃəsli/

with awareness

From this reading “Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.”

cooperate verb US /koʊˈɑːpəreɪt/

work together on a common enterprise of project

From this reading “The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!”

exceptionally adverb US /ɪkˈsepʃənəli/

to an exceptional degree

From this reading “The man at the bar was exceptionally handsome, and he knew it.”

humans noun US /ˈhjuːmənz/

all of the living human inhabitants of the earth

From this reading “Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.”

nondescript adjective US /ˈnɑːndɪˈskrɪpt/

lacking distinct or individual characteristics; dull and uninteresting

From this reading “So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.”

resentful adjective US /rɪˈzentfəl/

full of or marked by resentment or indignant ill will

From this reading “Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.”

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.

young man adjective + noun

a teenager or a young adult male

In this reading “Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.”

of course preposition + noun

as might be expected

In this reading “When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.”

at the bar preposition + article + noun counted as “at … bar”

In this reading “The man at the bar was exceptionally handsome, and he knew it.”

in the corner preposition + article + noun counted as “in … corner”

In this reading “So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.”

All words in this reading · 71

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 When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

annoyancenounUS /əˈnɔɪəns/

the psychological state of being irritated or annoyed

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

anyonepronounUS /ˈeniwʌn/

any person at all

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

appearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

arrogantlyadverbUS /ˈerəɡəntli/

in an arrogant manner

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The man at the bar was exceptionally handsome, and he knew it.

awareadjectiveUS /əˈwer/

(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

barnounUS /bɑːr/

a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter

From this reading The man at the bar was exceptionally handsome, and he knew it.

bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

bodyguardnounUS /ˈbɑːdiɡɑːrd/

someone who escorts and protects a prominent person

From this reading When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

boothnounUS /buːθ/

a table (in a restaurant or bar) surrounded by two high-backed benches

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

consciouslyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnʃəsli/

with awareness

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

constantlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnstəntli/

without variation or change, in every case

From this reading When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

cooperateverbUS /koʊˈɑːpəreɪt/

work together on a common enterprise of project

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

cornernounUS /ˈkɔːrnər/

a place off to the side of an area

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

dangernounUS /ˈdeɪndʒər/

the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury

From this reading When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

entitledadjectiveUS /enˈtaɪtəld/

qualified for by right according to law

From this reading When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

EveryonepronounUS /ˈevriwʌn/

every person

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

exceptionallyadverbUS /ɪkˈsepʃənəli/

to an exceptional degree

From this reading The man at the bar was exceptionally handsome, and he knew it.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

graynounUS /ɡreɪ/

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

handledadjectiveUS /ˈhændəld/

having a usually specified type of handle

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

handsomeadjectiveUS /ˈhænsəm/

pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion

From this reading The man at the bar was exceptionally handsome, and he knew it.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

humansnounUS /ˈhjuːmənz/

all of the living human inhabitants of the earth

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading The man at the bar was exceptionally handsome, and he knew it.

light-hairedadjective

being or having light colored skin and hair and usually blue or grey eyes

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

nondescriptadjectiveUS /ˈnɑːndɪˈskrɪpt/

lacking distinct or individual characteristics; dull and uninteresting

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

overwhelmingadjectiveUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelmɪŋ/

so strong as to be irresistible

From this reading When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

resentfuladjectiveUS /rɪˈzentfəl/

full of or marked by resentment or indignant ill will

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

suitverbUS /suːt/

be agreeable or acceptable to

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

superioradjectiveUS /suːˈpɪriər/

of high or superior quality or performance

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

watchingnounUS /ˈwɑːtʃɪŋ/

the act of observing; taking a patient look

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When overwhelming danger is constantly present, of course a man is entitled to have a bodyguard.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading So did the light-haired girl at his side, and so did the nondescript man in the gray suit who was watching them from a booth in the corner.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading The annoyance was that he had to do it himself ... and his body would not cooperate!

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone.

Chapter 1 of Bodyguard by H. L. (Horace Leonard) Gold holds 451 sentences, grouped into 91 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 Bodyguard contain?

Chapter 1 holds 451 sentences of Bodyguard, unabridged, divided into 91 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Bodyguard by H. L. (Horace Leonard) Gold exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 451 sentences, grouped into 91 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 Bodyguard?

Work through the 91 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 91 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 Bodyguard

Common questions about reading Bodyguard by H. L. (Horace Leonard) Gold on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Bodyguard?

Yes. All 1375 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #50988 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Bodyguard is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #50988, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Bodyguard take to read?

About 114 minutes of reading across 275 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Bodyguard section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 3 chapters of Bodyguard 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 Bodyguard

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

Overwhelming
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bodyguard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Danger
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bodyguard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Constantly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bodyguard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Present
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bodyguard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.