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E Being
E Being

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of E Being is here in full — 323 sentences across 65 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for E Being
Context Illustration Reading 1/64 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.
But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.
E=mc^2, he said.
And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.
Big, bright bangs, and congratulations.
0:00 / 0:00
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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.

E Being

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of E Being is here in full — 323 sentences across 65 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/64 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.
Line 2
But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.
Line 3
E=mc^2, he said.
Line 4
And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.
Line 5
Big, bright bangs, and congratulations.
/bɪɡ braɪt bæŋz ənd kənˌɡrætʃəˈleɪʃənz/

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.

bangs noun US /bæŋz/

plural of “bang” — a vigorous blow

From this reading “Big, bright bangs, and congratulations.”

concentrated adjective US /ˈkɑːnsəntreɪtɪd/

gathered together or made less diffuse

From this reading “And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.”

congratulations noun US /kənˌɡrætʃəˈleɪʃənz/

an expression of approval and commendation

From this reading “Big, bright bangs, and congratulations.”

earthquakes noun US /ˈɜːrθkweɪks/

plural of “earthquake” — shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground movement along a fault plane or from volcanic activity

From this reading “You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.”

munch noun US /mʌntʃ/

Norwegian painter (1863-1944)

From this reading “You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.”

rocket noun US /ˈrɑːkət/

any vehicle self-propelled by a rocket engine

From this reading “And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.”

sleek adjective US /sliːk/

well-groomed and neatly tailored; especially too well-groomed

From this reading “And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.”

tapering adjective US /ˈteɪpərɪŋ/

becoming gradually narrower

From this reading “And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.”

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.

fifty years noun + noun

In this reading “And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.”

travel faster verb + particle

In this reading “You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.”

for fifty preposition + noun

In this reading “And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.”

All words in this reading · 74

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.

2

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

From this reading E=mc^2, he said.

2.3

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

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

AlbertnounUS /ˈælbərt/

prince consort of Queen Victoria of England (1819-1861)

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

bangsnounUS /bæŋz/

plural of “bang” — a vigorous blow

From this reading Big, bright bangs, and congratulations.

becomeverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

BigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

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

From this reading Big, bright bangs, and congratulations.

brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading Big, bright bangs, and congratulations.

builtadjectiveUS /bɪlt/

(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

causenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

concentratedadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnsəntreɪtɪd/

gathered together or made less diffuse

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

congratulationsnounUS /kənˌɡrætʃəˈleɪʃənz/

an expression of approval and commendation

From this reading Big, bright bangs, and congratulations.

delta-theta

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

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

EnounUS /iː/

a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body

From this reading E=mc^2, he said.

earthquakesnounUS /ˈɜːrθkweɪks/

plural of “earthquake” — shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground movement along a fault plane or from volcanic activity

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

effectsnounUS /ɪˈfekts/

property of a personal character that is portable but not used in business

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

energynounUS /ˈenərdʒi/

(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

everyonepronounUS /ˈevriwʌn/

every person

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

fasteradverbUS /ˈfæstər/

more quickly

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

fiftynounUS /ˈfɪfti/

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

gy-perpowered

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

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading E=mc^2, he said.

high-tensionadjective

subjected to or capable of operating under relatively high voltage

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

hintedverbUS /ˈhɪntəd/

past form of “hint” — drop a hint; intimate by a hint

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

light-squared

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

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

Lighttrick

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

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

linesnounUS /laɪnz/

plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

mcnounUS /mɪk/

one million periods per second

From this reading E=mc^2, he said.

munchnounUS /mʌntʃ/

Norwegian painter (1863-1944)

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

pi-squared

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

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

reachverbUS /riːtʃ/

reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

rocketnounUS /ˈrɑːkət/

any vehicle self-propelled by a rocket engine

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading E=mc^2, he said.

sleekadjectiveUS /sliːk/

well-groomed and neatly tailored; especially too well-groomed

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

slimadjectiveUS /slɪm/

being of delicate or slender build

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

speedverbUS /spiːd/

move hurridly

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

taperingadjectiveUS /ˈteɪpərɪŋ/

becoming gradually narrower

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

travelverbUS /ˈtrævəl/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

turningnounUS /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading And for fifty years before they built my rocket, the _Lighttrick_, slim, tapering, sleek and gy-perpowered, everyone concentrated on turning matter into energy at a light-squared power.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You too can cause earthquakes, munch high-tension power lines and travel faster than light--all you have to do is become an First man to reach the speed of light, I was.

you'll

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

From this reading But you'll find the good Albert only hinted at the effects, in a delta-theta 2.3 pi-squared way.

Chapter 1 of E Being by James Stamers holds 323 sentences, grouped into 65 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 E Being contain?

Chapter 1 holds 323 sentences of E Being, unabridged, divided into 65 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of E Being by James Stamers exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 323 sentences, grouped into 65 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 E Being?

Work through the 65 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 65 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 E Being

Common questions about reading E Being by James Stamers on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of E Being?

Yes. All 323 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #61136 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of E Being is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #61136, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does E Being take to read?

About 26 minutes of reading across 65 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read E Being section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of E Being 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 E Being

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

Cause
A word that appears in the opening chapter of E Being; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Earthquakes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of E Being; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Munch
A word that appears in the opening chapter of E Being; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
High-tension
A word that appears in the opening chapter of E Being; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.