Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Far from Home
Far from Home

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Far from Home is here in full — 293 sentences across 59 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Far from Home
Context Illustration Reading 1/58 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_"Far" is strictly a relative term.
Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.
The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.
"Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.
The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Far from Home

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Far from Home is here in full — 293 sentences across 59 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/58 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_"Far" is strictly a relative term.
/fɑːr ɪz ˈstrɪktli ə ˈrelətɪv tɜːrm/
Line 2
Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.
Line 3
The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.
Line 4
"Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.
Line 5
The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

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.

aura noun US /ˈɔːrə/

a sensation (as of a cold breeze or bright light) that precedes the onset of certain disorders such as a migraine attack or epileptic seizure

From this reading “The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.”

clamoring noun US /ˈklæmərɪŋ/

loud and persistent outcry from many people

From this reading “Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.”

Classifieds noun US /ˈklæsəfaɪdz/

plural of “classified” — a short ad in a newspaper or magazine (usually in small print) and appearing along with other ads of the same type

From this reading “The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.”

conditioning noun US /kənˈdɪʃənɪŋ/

a learning process in which an organism's behavior becomes dependent on the occurrence of a stimulus in its environment

From this reading “The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.”

Controller noun US /kənˈtroʊlər/

someone who maintains and audits business accounts

From this reading “The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.”

hedged adjective US /hedʒd/

evasively worded in order to avoid an unqualified statement

From this reading “The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.”

mags noun US /mæɡz/

plural of “mag” — a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it

From this reading “The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.”

pried verb US /praɪd/

inflected form of “pry” — to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open

From this reading “The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.”

All words in this reading · 107

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.

16

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

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

9

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

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading _"Far" is strictly a relative term.

AbleadjectiveUS /ˈeɪbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

admittancenounUS /ədˈmɪtəns/

the right to enter

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

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 Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

ascentnounUS /əˈsent/

an upward slope or grade (as in a road)

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

auranounUS /ˈɔːrə/

a sensation (as of a cold breeze or bright light) that precedes the onset of certain disorders such as a migraine attack or epileptic seizure

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

automaticallyadverbUS /ˌɔːtəˈmætɪkli/

in a reflex manner

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

becomeverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

check-back

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

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

clamoringnounUS /ˈklæmərɪŋ/

loud and persistent outcry from many people

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

ClassifiedsnounUS /ˈklæsəfaɪdz/

plural of “classified” — a short ad in a newspaper or magazine (usually in small print) and appearing along with other ads of the same type

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

conditioningnounUS /kənˈdɪʃənɪŋ/

a learning process in which an organism's behavior becomes dependent on the occurrence of a stimulus in its environment

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

controlnounUS /kənˈtroʊl/

power to direct or determine

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

ControllernounUS /kənˈtroʊlər/

someone who maintains and audits business accounts

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

dueadjectiveUS /duː/

owed and payable immediately or on demand

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

enteringnounUS /ˈentərɪŋ/

a movement into or inward

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

failedverbUS /feɪld/

past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

FaradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading _"Far" is strictly a relative term.

faultsnounUS /fɔːlts/

plural of “fault” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

fenceverbUS /fens/

enclose with a fence

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

flightnounUS /flaɪt/

a formation of aircraft in flight

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

FournounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

freeverbUS /friː/

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

GreenwichnounUS /ˈɡrenɪtʃ/

a borough of Greater London on the Thames; zero degrees of longitude runs through Greenwich; time is measured relative to Greenwich Mean Time

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

HalfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

harassedadjectiveUS /hərˈæst/

troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

hedgedadjectiveUS /hedʒd/

evasively worded in order to avoid an unqualified statement

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

informationnounUS /ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/

a message received and understood

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

initialnounUS /ˌɪˈnɪʃəl/

the first letter of a word (especially a person's name)

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading _"Far" is strictly a relative term.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

JnounUS /dʒeɪ/

a unit of electrical energy equal to the work done when a current of one ampere passes through a resistance of one ohm for one second

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

Jake

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

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

LiftverbUS /lɪft/

raise from a lower to a higher position

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

magsnounUS /mæɡz/

plural of “mag” — a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

mentaladjectiveUS /ˈmentəl/

involving the mind or an intellectual process

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

motornounUS /ˈmoʊtər/

machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

newshounds

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

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

pilotverbUS /ˈpaɪlət/

operate an airplane

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

planverbUS /plæn/

have the will and intention to carry out some action

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

popularadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːpjələr/

regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially by the general public

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

priedverbUS /praɪd/

inflected form of “pry” — to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

propertynounUS /ˈprɑːpərti/

something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

publicnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

relativenounUS /ˈrelətɪv/

a person related by blood or marriage

From this reading _"Far" is strictly a relative term.

rendezvousnounUS /ˈrɑːndɪvuː/

a meeting planned at a certain time and place

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

reportedadjectiveUS /ˌriːˈpɔːrtɪd/

made known or told about; especially presented in a formal account

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

Restricteds

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

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

rocketnounUS /ˈrɑːkət/

any vehicle self-propelled by a rocket engine

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

routinenounUS /ruːˈtiːn/

an unvarying or habitual method or procedure

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

SecretsnounUS /ˈsiːkrəts/

plural of “secret” — something that should remain hidden from others (especially information that is not to be passed on)

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

ServicenounUS /ˈsɜːrvəs/

work done by one person or group that benefits another

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

SomeonepronounUS /ˈsʌmwʌn/

a person, without saying who

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

sometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

SpacenounUS /speɪs/

the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

StationnounUS /ˈsteɪʃən/

a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

strictlyadverbUS /ˈstrɪktli/

restricted to something

From this reading _"Far" is strictly a relative term.

take-off

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

From this reading The initial take-off and ascent had gone to flight plan and the pilot, in the routine check-back after entering free flight had reported no motor or control faults.

talkedverbUS /tɔːkt/

past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

technicaladjectiveUS /ˈteknɪkəl/

of or relating to technique or proficiency in a practical skill

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

termnounUS /tɜːrm/

a word or expression used for some particular thing

From this reading _"Far" is strictly a relative term.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

TopnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

trailnounUS /treɪl/

a track or mark left by something that has passed

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

viaprepositionUS /ˈvaɪə/

by way of; passing through

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "Able Jake" Four had indeed failed to rendezvous with Space Station One, due at 9:16 Greenwich that morning.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading Half a world away from home is, sometimes, no distance at all!_ Someone must have talked over the fence because the newshounds were clamoring on the trail within an hour after it happened.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading The harassed Controller had lived in an aura of "Restricteds," "Classifieds" and "Top Secrets" for so long it had become a mental conditioning and automatically hedged over information that had been public property for years via the popular technical mags; but in time they pried from him an admittance that the Station Service Lift rocket A. J.

Chapter 1 of Far from Home by J. A. Taylor holds 293 sentences, grouped into 59 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 Far from Home contain?

Chapter 1 holds 293 sentences of Far from Home, unabridged, divided into 59 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Far from Home by J. A. Taylor exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 293 sentences, grouped into 59 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 Far from Home?

Work through the 59 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 59 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 Far from Home

Common questions about reading Far from Home by J. A. Taylor on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Far from Home?

Yes. All 293 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #23408 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Far from Home is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #23408, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Far from Home take to read?

About 24 minutes of reading across 59 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Far from Home section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of Far from Home 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 Far from Home

Words and structures a reader meets early in Far from Home, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Strictly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Far from Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Relative
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Far from Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
World
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Far from Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sometimes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Far from Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.