Chapter 1 of Book of Detective Stories is here in full — 258 sentences across 52 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Book of Detective Stories is here in full — 258 sentences across 52 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). An additional Multum in Parvo Library. Vol. I. NOVEMBER, 1894. _Published Monthly._ No. 11. _Smallest Magazine in the World.
Chapter 1 of Book of Detective Stories is here in full — 258 sentences across 52 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/51 · 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.
further or added
From this reading “An additional Multum in Parvo Library.”
closed in or surrounded or included within
From this reading “Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).”
plural of “italic” — a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right
From this reading “Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).”
a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it
From this reading “_Smallest Magazine in the World.”
a periodical that is published every month (or 12 issues per year)
From this reading “_Published Monthly._ No. 11.”
the month following October and preceding December
From this reading “Vol. I. NOVEMBER, 1894.”
superlative of “small” — limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
plural of “underscore” — a line drawn underneath (especially under written matter)
From this reading “Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).”
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.
In this reading “_Smallest Magazine in the World.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Published Monthly._ No. 11.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Vol. I. NOVEMBER, 1894.
further or added
From this reading An additional Multum in Parvo Library.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An additional Multum in Parvo Library.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
closed in or surrounded or included within
From this reading Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Vol. I. NOVEMBER, 1894.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
plural of “italic” — a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right
From this reading Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
a room where books are kept
From this reading An additional Multum in Parvo Library.
a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it
From this reading _Smallest Magazine in the World.
a periodical that is published every month (or 12 issues per year)
From this reading _Published Monthly._ No. 11.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An additional Multum in Parvo Library.
not any; not one
From this reading _Published Monthly._ No. 11.
the month following October and preceding December
From this reading Vol. I. NOVEMBER, 1894.
any of a group of viruses containing DNA in an icosahedral protein shell and causing disease in dogs and cattle; not known to be associated with any human disease
From this reading An additional Multum in Parvo Library.
prepared and printed for distribution and sale
From this reading _Published Monthly._ No. 11.
superlative of “small” — limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading _Smallest Magazine in the World.
the words of something written
From this reading Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _Smallest Magazine in the World.
plural of “underscore” — a line drawn underneath (especially under written matter)
From this reading Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Vol. I. NOVEMBER, 1894.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading _Smallest Magazine in the World.
Chapter 1 of Book of Detective Stories by Frank [Editor] Pemmon holds 258 sentences, grouped into 52 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 1 holds 258 sentences of Book of Detective Stories, unabridged, divided into 52 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Book of Detective Stories by Frank [Editor] Pemmon exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 258 sentences, grouped into 52 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 52 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 52 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 Book of Detective Stories by Frank [Editor] Pemmon on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 258 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #68049 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #68049, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 21 minutes of reading across 52 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Book of Detective Stories section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 1 chapters of Book of Detective Stories 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 Book of Detective Stories, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
