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Firebrands
Firebrands

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Firebrands is here in full — 401 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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GEORGE M. DAVIS, M.D.
Printers S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A.
Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.
Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.
Nor is it a property loss only.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Firebrands

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Firebrands is here in full — 401 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
GEORGE M. DAVIS, M.D.
Line 2
Printers S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A.
Line 3
Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.
/ˈevəri jɪr ˈfaɪər dɪˈstrɔɪz æn ɪˈnɔːrməs əˈmaʊnt ʌv ˈprɑːpərti ɪn ðə juːˈnaɪtɪd steɪts/
Line 4
Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.
Line 5
Nor is it a property loss only.
/nɔːr ɪz ɪt ə ˈprɑːpərti lɔːs ˈoʊnli/

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.

carelessness noun US /ˈkerləsnəs/

the quality of not being careful or taking pains

From this reading “Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.”

davis noun US /ˈdeɪvəs/

English navigator who explored the Arctic while searching for the Northwest Passage (1550-1605)

From this reading “GEORGE M. DAVIS, M.D.”

destroyed adjective US /dɪˈstrɔɪd/

spoiled or ruined or demolished

From this reading “Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.”

destroys verb US /dɪˈstrɔɪz/

third-person singular of “destroy” — do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of

From this reading “Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.”

poorer adjective US /ˈpuːrər/

comparative of “poor” — deserving or inciting pity

From this reading “Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.”

Printers noun US /ˈprɪntərz/

plural of “printer” — someone whose occupation is printing

From this reading “Printers S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A.”

proportion noun US /prəˈpɔːrʃən/

the quotient obtained when the magnitude of a part is divided by the magnitude of the whole

From this reading “Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.”

replaced verb US /ˌriːˈpleɪst/

past form of “replace” — substitute a person or thing for (another that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working or yielding what is expected)

From this reading “Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.”

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.

enormous amount adjective + noun

In this reading “Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.”

large proportion adjective + noun

In this reading “Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.”

great loss adjective + noun

In this reading “Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.”

All words in this reading · 56

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 Printers S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A.

amountnounUS /əˈmaʊnt/

a quantity of money

From this reading Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

BOSTONnounUS /ˈbɑːstən/

state capital and largest city of Massachusetts; a major center for banking and financial services

From this reading Printers S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

cannot

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

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

carelessnessnounUS /ˈkerləsnəs/

the quality of not being careful or taking pains

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

COnounUS /koʊ/

an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon

From this reading Printers S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

DnounUS /diː/

a fat-soluble vitamin that prevents rickets

From this reading GEORGE M. DAVIS, M.D.

DAVISnounUS /ˈdeɪvəs/

English navigator who explored the Arctic while searching for the Northwest Passage (1550-1605)

From this reading GEORGE M. DAVIS, M.D.

destroyedadjectiveUS /dɪˈstrɔɪd/

spoiled or ruined or demolished

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

destroysverbUS /dɪˈstrɔɪz/

third-person singular of “destroy” — do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of

From this reading Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.

dueadjectiveUS /duː/

owed and payable immediately or on demand

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

enormousadjectiveUS /ɪˈnɔːrməs/

extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree

From this reading Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.

EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

foreveradverbUS /fərˈevər/

for a limitless time

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

GEORGEnounUS /dʒɔːrdʒ/

Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)

From this reading GEORGE M. DAVIS, M.D.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

ignorancenounUS /ˈɪɡnərəns/

the lack of knowledge or education

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Nor is it a property loss only.

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 Printers S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

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

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

lossnounUS /lɔːs/

something that is lost

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

MnounUS /em/

the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

From this reading GEORGE M. DAVIS, M.D.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

NorconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Nor is it a property loss only.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Nor is it a property loss only.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

PARKHILL

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

From this reading Printers S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A.

pooreradjectiveUS /ˈpuːrər/

comparative of “poor” — deserving or inciting pity

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

PrintersnounUS /ˈprɪntərz/

plural of “printer” — someone whose occupation is printing

From this reading Printers S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A.

propertynounUS /ˈprɑːpərti/

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

From this reading Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.

proportionnounUS /prəˈpɔːrʃən/

the quotient obtained when the magnitude of a part is divided by the magnitude of the whole

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

replacedverbUS /ˌriːˈpleɪst/

past form of “replace” — substitute a person or thing for (another that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working or yielding what is expected)

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

SnounUS /es/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading Printers S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

StatesnounUS /steɪts/

plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

thoughtlessnessnoun

the quality of failing to be considerate of others

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

UnounUS /juː/

a base containing nitrogen that is found in RNA (but not in DNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine

From this reading Printers S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A.

UnitedadjectiveUS /juːˈnaɪtɪd/

characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity

From this reading Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer, for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced, a large proportion is due to carelessness, thoughtlessness, and ignorance.

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading Every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the United States.

Chapter 1 of Firebrands by Frank Eugene Martin holds 401 sentences, grouped into 81 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of Firebrands contain?

Chapter 1 holds 401 sentences of Firebrands, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Firebrands by Frank Eugene Martin exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 401 sentences, grouped into 81 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 1 of Firebrands?

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

Each of the 81 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Firebrands

Common questions about reading Firebrands by Frank Eugene Martin on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Firebrands?

Yes. All 1632 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #55684 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Firebrands is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #55684, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Firebrands take to read?

About 136 minutes of reading across 327 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Firebrands section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 4 chapters of Firebrands 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 Firebrands

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

George
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Firebrands; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Davis
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Firebrands; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Printers
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Firebrands; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Parkhill
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Firebrands; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.