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Downstream
Downstream

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Downstream is here in full — 404 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/80 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+
To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.
The tide of events flows remote from the child.
Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.
It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.
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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.

Downstream

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Downstream is here in full — 404 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+
Line 2
To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.
Line 3
The tide of events flows remote from the child.
/ðə taɪd ʌv ɪˈvents floʊz rɪˈmoʊt frʌm ðə tʃaɪld/
Line 4
Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.
/ˈoʊnli əˈkeɪʒənəli duː ɪts ˈediz tʌtʃ əˈpɑːn ðə ˈkɑːnʃəsnəs ʌv ðə tʃaɪld ənd ðen ðə ˈlætər ɪz ˌʌnəˈwer ʌv ðer səɡˈnɪfɪkəns/
Line 5
It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.

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.

Bridal adjective US /ˈbraɪdəl/

of or relating to a wedding

From this reading “SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+”

eddies noun US /ˈediz/

plural of “eddy” — founder of Christian Science in 1866 (1821-1910)

From this reading “Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.”

forgery noun US /ˈfɔːrdʒəri/

a copy that is represented as the original

From this reading “To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.”

inability noun US /ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪti/

lack of ability (especially mental ability) to do something

From this reading “It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.”

Kittens noun US /ˈkɪtənz/

plural of “kitten” — young domestic cat

From this reading “SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+”

Miracles noun US /ˈmɪrəkəlz/

plural of “miracle” — any amazing or wonderful occurrence

From this reading “SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+”

One-Eyed adjective US /ˌwʌˈnaɪd/

having or showing only one eye

From this reading “SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+”

realities noun US /ˌriːˈælətiːz/

plural of “reality” — all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you

From this reading “It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.”

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.

Happy Days adjective + noun

In this reading “SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+”

great effort adjective + noun

In this reading “To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.”

tell the story verb + article + noun counted as “tell … story”

In this reading “To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.”

All words in this reading · 92

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 SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/

not in a state of sleep; completely conscious

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.

BridaladjectiveUS /ˈbraɪdəl/

of or relating to a wedding

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

BrothersnounUS /ˈbrʌðərz/

plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

BRUUN

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

BUCHHOLTZ

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.

Clara

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

commitverbUS /kəˈmɪt/

perform an act, usually with a negative connotation

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

connectionnounUS /kəˈnekʃən/

a relation between things or events (as in the case of one causing the other or sharing features with it)

From this reading It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.

consciousnessnounUS /ˈkɑːnʃəsnəs/

an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

costsnounUS /kɑːsts/

pecuniary reimbursement to the winning party for the expenses of litigation

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

CRYverbUS /kraɪ/

utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

DaysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

describeverbUS /dɪˈskraɪb/

give a description of

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

dreamnounUS /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

dream-like

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.

eddiesnounUS /ˈediz/

plural of “eddy” — founder of Christian Science in 1866 (1821-1910)

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

effortnounUS /ˈefərt/

earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

Egholm

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

eventsnounUS /ɪˈvents/

plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time

From this reading The tide of events flows remote from the child.

exactlyadverbUS /ɪɡˈzæktli/

indicating exactness or preciseness

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

FLEURON

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

flowsnounUS /floʊz/

plural of “flow” — the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)

From this reading The tide of events flows remote from the child.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

forgerynounUS /ˈfɔːrdʒəri/

a copy that is represented as the original

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The tide of events flows remote from the child.

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

GrimadjectiveUS /ɡrɪm/

not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

grown-up

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

GuestnounUS /ɡest/

a visitor to whom hospitality is extended

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

GUNNAR

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

GUNNARSSON

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

Haag

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

HappyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

inabilitynounUS /ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪti/

lack of ability (especially mental ability) to do something

From this reading It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

IslenounUS /aɪl/

a small island

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

JennynounUS /ˈdʒeni/

United States architect who designed the first skyscraper in which a metal skeleton was used (1832-1907)

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

JOHANNES

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

KittensnounUS /ˈkɪtənz/

plural of “kitten” — young domestic cat

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

latteradjectiveUS /ˈlætər/

referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

LAURIDS

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

makesnounUS /meɪks/

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.

MiraclesnounUS /ˈmɪrəkəlz/

plural of “miracle” — any amazing or wonderful occurrence

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

occasionallyadverbUS /əˈkeɪʒənəli/

sporadically and infrequently

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

occurredverbUS /əˈkɜːrd/

inflected form of “occur” — come to pass

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

One-EyedadjectiveUS /ˌwʌˈnaɪd/

having or showing only one eye

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

OnlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

PikenounUS /paɪk/

a broad highway designed for high-speed traffic

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

preciselyadverbUS /prɪˈsaɪsli/

indicating exactness or preciseness

From this reading It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.

PromisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

realitiesnounUS /ˌriːˈælətiːz/

plural of “reality” — all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you

From this reading It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.

remoteadjectiveUS /rɪˈmoʊt/

located far away spatially

From this reading The tide of events flows remote from the child.

significancenounUS /səɡˈnɪfɪkəns/

the quality of being significant

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

SIGRID

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.

StorynounUS /ˈstɔːri/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

SVEND

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

SwornadjectiveUS /swɔːrn/

bound by or as if by an oath

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.

tidenounUS /taɪd/

the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon

From this reading The tide of events flows remote from the child.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

touchverbUS /tʌtʃ/

make physical contact with, come in contact with

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

unawareadjectiveUS /ˌʌnəˈwer/

(often followed by “of”) not aware

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.

UNDSETnoun

Norwegian novelist (1882-1949)

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Only occasionally do its eddies touch upon the consciousness of the child, and then the latter is unaware of their significance.

VannounUS /væn/

any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading It is precisely this inability to understand the connection between events which makes the realities of children so dream-like.

wideadjectiveUS /waɪd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

WreathnounUS /riːθ/

flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental purposes

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading To tell the story of a child as you would tell the story of a grown-up would be to commit forgery, for once you are wide awake it costs you a great effort to describe a dream exactly as it occurred.

Zanten's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SIGRID UNDSET Jenny The Bridal Wreath SVEND FLEURON Grim, The Story of a Pike Kittens LAURIDS BRUUN Van Zanten’s Happy Days The Promised Isle GUNNAR GUNNARSSON The Sworn Brothers Guest the One-Eyed JOHANNES BUCHHOLTZ Egholm and his God The Miracles of Clara Van Haag +THE CRY+

Chapter 1 of Downstream by Sigfrid Siwertz holds 404 sentences, grouped into 81 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 Downstream contain?

Chapter 1 holds 404 sentences of Downstream, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Downstream by Sigfrid Siwertz exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 404 sentences, grouped into 81 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 Downstream?

Work through the 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 81 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 Downstream

Common questions about reading Downstream by Sigfrid Siwertz on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Downstream?

Yes. All 9414 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #60685 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Downstream is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #60685, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Downstream take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1883 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Downstream section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 23 chapters of Downstream 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 Downstream

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

Sigrid
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Downstream; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Undset
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Downstream; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Jenny
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Downstream; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bridal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Downstream; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.