Chapter 1 of Brood of the Witch-Queen is here in full — 210 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Brood of the Witch-Queen is here in full — 210 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place." "He's been warned," growled Sime. "It will be notice to quit next time." "I ran upstairs and banged on Ferrara's door. He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.
Chapter 1 of Brood of the Witch-Queen is here in full — 210 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 24/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 116–120
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.
an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone
From this reading “She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."”
past form of “bang” — strike violently
From this reading “"I ran upstairs and banged on Ferrara's door.”
past form of “growl” — to utter or emit low dull rumbling sounds
From this reading “"He's been warned," growled Sime.”
the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)
From this reading “He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.”
past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading “She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."”
put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading “"It will be notice to quit next time."”
on a floor above
From this reading “"I ran upstairs and banged on Ferrara's door.”
past form of “warn” — notify of danger, potential harm, or risk
From this reading “"He's been warned," growled Sime.”
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.
anew
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
past form of “bang” — strike violently
From this reading "I ran upstairs and banged on Ferrara's door.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It will be notice to quit next time."
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "He's been warned," growled Sime.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading "I ran upstairs and banged on Ferrara's door.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I ran upstairs and banged on Ferrara's door.
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
past form of “growl” — to utter or emit low dull rumbling sounds
From this reading "He's been warned," growled Sime.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "He's been warned," growled Sime.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It will be notice to quit next time."
the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)
From this reading He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.
past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
immediately following in time or order
From this reading "It will be notice to quit next time."
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading "It will be notice to quit next time."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "I ran upstairs and banged on Ferrara's door.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
To move from a closed position.
From this reading He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading "It will be notice to quit next time."
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading "I ran upstairs and banged on Ferrara's door.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
in a vehement outcry
From this reading He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "He's been warned," growled Sime.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading "It will be notice to quit next time."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "It will be notice to quit next time."
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her hiding-place."
on a floor above
From this reading "I ran upstairs and banged on Ferrara's door.
past form of “warn” — notify of danger, potential harm, or risk
From this reading "He's been warned," growled Sime.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.
which person or people
From this reading He didn't open at first, but shouted out to know who was knocking.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "It will be notice to quit next time."
Chapter 1 of Brood of the Witch-Queen by Sax Rohmer holds 210 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.
Chapter 1 holds 210 sentences of Brood of the Witch-Queen, unabridged, divided into 42 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Brood of the Witch-Queen by Sax Rohmer exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 210 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.
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.
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 Brood of the Witch-Queen by Sax Rohmer on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4279 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #19706 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #19706, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 356 minutes of reading across 856 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Brood of the Witch-Queen section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 31 chapters of Brood of the Witch-Queen 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 Brood of the Witch-Queen, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
