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Cornelli
Cornelli

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Cornelli is here in full — 271 sentences across 55 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Cornelli
Context Illustration Reading 30/54 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.
No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.
They require that only when they are ripe enough for mental influences.
Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.
Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Cornelli

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Cornelli is here in full — 271 sentences across 55 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 30/54 · 5 reading units · Lines 146–150

Line 1
You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.
/juː duː nɑːt niːd tuː hæv sʌtʃ dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ θɔːts əˈbaʊt jɔːr ˈdɔːtərz ˌedʒəˈkeɪʃən/
Line 2
No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.
/noʊ taɪm hæz jet bɪn lɔːst fɔːr ðiːz smɔːl ˈbiːɪŋz duː nɑːt niːd ðə best ʌv ker æt ðə stɑːrt/
Line 3
They require that only when they are ripe enough for mental influences.
/ðeɪ ˌriːˈkwaɪər ðæt ˈoʊnli wen ðeɪ ɑːr raɪp ɪˈnʌf fɔːr ˈmentəl ˈɪnfluːənsɪz/
Line 4
Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.
/sʌtʃ smɔːl ˈkriːtʃərz ˈmɪrli ˈvedʒəteɪt ənd aɪ æm kwaɪt ʃʊr mɪs ˈmiːnə wɑːz ðə raɪt ˈpɜːrsən tuː lʊk ˈæftər ðə tʃaɪldz ˌwelˈbiːɪŋ ənd ˈprɑːpər ˈnɜːrɪʃmənt/
Line 5
Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.
/ˈestər huː juː seɪ ɪz ˈveri rɪˈlaɪəbəl tuː hæz ˈprɑːbəbliː helpt ɪn ˈteɪkɪŋ ker ʌv ðə tʃaɪld æz mʌtʃ æz wɑːz ˈnesəseri/

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.

disturbing adjective US /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/

causing distress or worry or anxiety

From this reading “You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.”

Esther noun US /ˈestər/

(Old Testament) a beautiful Jewess chosen by the king of Persia to be his queen; she stopped a plot to massacre all the Jews in Persia (an event celebrated by Jews as the feast of Purim)

From this reading “Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.”

influences noun US /ˈɪnfluːənsɪz/

plural of “influence” — a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc

From this reading “They require that only when they are ripe enough for mental influences.”

Mina noun US /ˈmiːnə/

tropical Asian starlings

From this reading “Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.”

nourishment noun US /ˈnɜːrɪʃmənt/

a source of materials to nourish the body

From this reading “Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.”

reliable adjective US /rɪˈlaɪəbəl/

worthy of reliance or trust

From this reading “Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.”

vegetate verb US /ˈvedʒəteɪt/

lead a passive existence without using one's body or mind

From this reading “Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.”

well-being noun US /ˌwelˈbiːɪŋ/

a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous

From this reading “Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.”

All words in this reading · 73

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading They require that only when they are ripe enough for mental influences.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

beingsnounUS /ˈbiːɪŋz/

plural of “being” — the state or fact of existing

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

carenounUS /ker/

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

child'snounUS /tʃaɪldz/

possessive form of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

creaturesnounUS /ˈkriːtʃərz/

plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

daughter'snounUS /ˈdɔːtərz/

possessive form of “daughter” — a female human offspring

From this reading You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.

disturbingadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/

causing distress or worry or anxiety

From this reading You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.

educationnounUS /ˌedʒəˈkeɪʃən/

the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill

From this reading You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

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

From this reading They require that only when they are ripe enough for mental influences.

EsthernounUS /ˈestər/

(Old Testament) a beautiful Jewess chosen by the king of Persia to be his queen; she stopped a plot to massacre all the Jews in Persia (an event celebrated by Jews as the feast of Purim)

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.

helpedverbUS /helpt/

past form of “help” — give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

influencesnounUS /ˈɪnfluːənsɪz/

plural of “influence” — a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc

From this reading They require that only when they are ripe enough for mental influences.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

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

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

mentaladjectiveUS /ˈmentəl/

involving the mind or an intellectual process

From this reading They require that only when they are ripe enough for mental influences.

merelyadverbUS /ˈmɪrli/

and nothing more

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

MinanounUS /ˈmiːnə/

tropical Asian starlings

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

MissverbUS /mɪs/

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

necessaryadjectiveUS /ˈnesəseri/

absolutely essential

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

neednounUS /niːd/

a condition requiring relief

From this reading You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.

nourishmentnounUS /ˈnɜːrɪʃmənt/

a source of materials to nourish the body

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading They require that only when they are ripe enough for mental influences.

personnounUS /ˈpɜːrsən/

a human being

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

probablyadverbUS /ˈprɑːbəbliː/

with considerable certainty; without much doubt

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

properadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːpər/

marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

reliableadjectiveUS /rɪˈlaɪəbəl/

worthy of reliance or trust

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

requireverbUS /ˌriːˈkwaɪər/

require as useful, just, or proper

From this reading They require that only when they are ripe enough for mental influences.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

ripeadjectiveUS /raɪp/

fully developed or matured and ready to be eaten or used

From this reading They require that only when they are ripe enough for mental influences.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

startverbUS /stɑːrt/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

takingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading They require that only when they are ripe enough for mental influences.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They require that only when they are ripe enough for mental influences.

thoughtsnounUS /θɔːts/

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

vegetateverbUS /ˈvedʒəteɪt/

lead a passive existence without using one's body or mind

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

well-beingnounUS /ˌwelˈbiːɪŋ/

a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous

From this reading Such small creatures merely vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading They require that only when they are ripe enough for mental influences.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Esther, who you say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the child as much as was necessary.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not need the best of care at the start.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You do not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s education.

Chapter 1 of Cornelli by Johanna Spyri holds 271 sentences, grouped into 55 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 Cornelli contain?

Chapter 1 holds 271 sentences of Cornelli, unabridged, divided into 55 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Cornelli by Johanna Spyri exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 271 sentences, grouped into 55 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 Cornelli?

Work through the 55 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 55 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 Cornelli

Common questions about reading Cornelli by Johanna Spyri on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Cornelli?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Cornelli is used?

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

How long does Cornelli take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Cornelli section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 0 chapters of Cornelli 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 Cornelli

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

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Cornelli, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of Cornelli, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of Cornelli, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.