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Fata Morgana
Fata Morgana

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Fata Morgana is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.
What a night!
In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.
His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.
The car itself was an attention of Phil’s friends.
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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.

Fata Morgana

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Fata Morgana is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.
Line 2
What a night!
/wʌt ə naɪt/
Line 3
In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.
Line 4
His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.
Line 5
The car itself was an attention of Phil’s friends.

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.

boyhood noun US /ˈbɔɪhʊd/

the childhood of a boy

From this reading “His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.”

dozed verb US /doʊzd/

past form of “doze” — sleep lightly or for a short period of time

From this reading “AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.”

eclipsed verb US /ɪˈklɪpst/

past form of “eclipse” — be greater in significance than

From this reading “His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.”

gulped verb US /ɡʌlpt/

past form of “gulp” — to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught

From this reading “AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.”

mantles noun US /ˈmæntəlz/

plural of “mantle” — the cloak as a symbol of authority

From this reading “In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.”

masked adjective US /mæskt/

having its true character concealed with the intent of misleading

From this reading “In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.”

murmuring noun US /ˈmɜːrmərɪŋ/

a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech

From this reading “In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.”

trailing noun US /ˈtreɪlɪŋ/

the pursuit (of a person or animal) by following tracks or marks they left behind

From this reading “In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.”

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.

gulped down verb + adjective counted as “gulp down”

In this reading “AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.”

At daybreak preposition + noun

In this reading “AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.”

threw away verb + particle counted as “throw away”

throw or cast away

In this reading “AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.”

slipped into verb + particle counted as “slip into”

In this reading “AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.”

with surprise preposition + noun

In this reading “His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.”

All words in this reading · 101

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 What a night!

AFTERprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

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 His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

AmericannounUS /əˈmerəkən/

a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

arm-chair

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

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading The car itself was an attention of Phil’s friends.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

BALLnounUS /bɔːl/

round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

beastsnounUS /biːsts/

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

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

boyhoodnounUS /ˈbɔɪhʊd/

the childhood of a boy

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

carnounUS /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

cigarnounUS /sɪˈɡɑːr/

a roll of tobacco for smoking

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

circus-girl

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

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

contentsnounUS /ˈkɑːntents/

(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

daybreaknounUS /ˈdeɪbreɪk/

the first light of day

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

dozedverbUS /doʊzd/

past form of “doze” — sleep lightly or for a short period of time

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

drawnadjectiveUS /drɔːn/

showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

dreamingnounUS /ˈdriːmɪŋ/

imaginative thoughts indulged in while awake

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

eclipsedverbUS /ɪˈklɪpst/

past form of “eclipse” — be greater in significance than

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

enteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

figurenounUS /ˈfɪɡjər/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

friendsnounUS /frendz/

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading The car itself was an attention of Phil’s friends.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

gilt-embroidered

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

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

gulpedverbUS /ɡʌlpt/

past form of “gulp” — to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

half-sleep

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

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

Helia

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

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading The car itself was an attention of Phil’s friends.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

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 His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

Longwill

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

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

mantlesnounUS /ˈmæntəlz/

plural of “mantle” — the cloak as a symbol of authority

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

maskedadjectiveUS /mæskt/

having its true character concealed with the intent of misleading

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

moo-o-o

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

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

movedadjectiveUS /muːvd/

being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

multitudenounUS /ˈmʌltətuːd/

a large indefinite number

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

murmuringnounUS /ˈmɜːrmərɪŋ/

a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading What a night!

noisenounUS /nɔɪz/

sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

oxennounUS /ˈɑːksən/

domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

painternounUS /ˈpeɪntər/

an artist who paints

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

Phil

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

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

Phil's

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

From this reading The car itself was an attention of Phil’s friends.

prolongedadjectiveUS /prəˈlɔːŋd/

relatively long in duration; tediously protracted

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

QUAT'Z-ARTS

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

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

reliefnounUS /rɪˈliːf/

the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

restlessadjectiveUS /ˈrestləs/

worried and uneasy

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

sharpadjectiveUS /ʃɑːrp/

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

skinsnounUS /skɪnz/

plural of “skin” — a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

slippedverbUS /slɪpt/

inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

stableadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪbəl/

resistant to change of position or condition

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

studionounUS /ˈstuːdioʊ/

workplace for the teaching or practice of an art

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

summitnounUS /ˈsʌmət/

the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

superbadjectiveUS /sʊˈpɜːrb/

of surpassing excellence

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

surprisenounUS /sərˈpraɪz/

the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

threwverbUS /θruː/

inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

throngnounUS /θrɔːŋ/

a large gathering of people

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

trailingnounUS /ˈtreɪlɪŋ/

the pursuit (of a person or animal) by following tracks or marks they left behind

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

water-jug

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

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What a night!

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading In his half-sleep he thought he was still at the Quat’z-Arts Ball, from which he had just come; he still heard the murmuring noise of the multitude, like the prolonged “moo-o-o” of oxen in the stable; and there still moved before his eyes the restless throng, masked in the skins of beasts or trailing gilt-embroidered mantles.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading His dreaming had the sharp relief of life; but it was the car on which Helia was drawn—Helia the circus-girl, the little friend of his boyhood, whom he had not seen for so long and whom he found here with surprise—it was this car, with the superb figure of Helia at its summit, which eclipsed all the rest.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading AFTER THE QUAT’Z-ARTS BALL At daybreak, Phil Longwill, the young American painter, entered his studio, threw away his cigar, gulped down the contents of his water-jug—and then slipped into an arm-chair and dozed.

Chapter 1 of Fata Morgana by J. André Castaigne holds 170 sentences, grouped into 34 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 Fata Morgana contain?

Chapter 1 holds 170 sentences of Fata Morgana, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Fata Morgana by J. André Castaigne exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 170 sentences, grouped into 34 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 Fata Morgana?

Work through the 34 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 34 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 Fata Morgana

Common questions about reading Fata Morgana by J. André Castaigne on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Fata Morgana?

Yes. All 6808 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #59052 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Fata Morgana is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #59052, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Fata Morgana take to read?

About 567 minutes of reading across 1362 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Fata Morgana section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 36 chapters of Fata Morgana 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 Fata Morgana

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

Z-arts
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fata Morgana; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Daybreak
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fata Morgana; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Longwill
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fata Morgana; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Young
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fata Morgana; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.