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First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth
First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth

Chapter XXII

Chapter 22 of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth is here in full — 177 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth
Context Illustration Reading 1/35 · 5 lines
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I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.
The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.
It rains for days in other summers.
But in The Summer—— “Oh, no, it never rained,” Laura would tell you.
“I know, because I remember.
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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.

First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth

Chapter XXII

Chapter 22 of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth is here in full — 177 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/35 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.
Line 2
The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.
/ðə ˈʌðər ˈsʌmərz ɑːr wel ɪˈnʌf bʌt ðer ˈflaʊərz ˈevəri ˈprɪmroʊz ənd ˈpɑːpi ʌv ðem ˈoʊ.pən ɪn ðer ˈsiːzənz ənd nɑːt ɔːl æt wʌns ənd ðeɪ ɑːr suːn ˈoʊvər/
Line 3
It rains for days in other summers.
/ɪt reɪnz fɔːr deɪz ɪn ˈʌðər ˈsʌmərz/
Line 4
But in The Summer—— “Oh, no, it never rained,” Laura would tell you.
Line 5
“I know, because I remember.
/aɪ noʊ bɪˈkɔːz aɪ rɪˈmɛm.bər/

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.

Eden noun US /ˈiːdən/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading “I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.”

glories noun US /ˈɡlɔːriz/

plural of “glory” — a state of high honor

From this reading “I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.”

glows noun US /ɡloʊz/

plural of “glow” — an alert and refreshed state

From this reading “I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.”

poppy noun US /ˈpɑːpi/

annual or biennial or perennial herbs having showy flowers

From this reading “The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.”

primrose noun US /ˈprɪmroʊz/

any of numerous short-stemmed plants of the genus Primula having tufted basal leaves and showy flowers clustered in umbels or heads

From this reading “The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.”

rained verb US /reɪnd/

past form of “rain” — precipitate as rain

From this reading “But in The Summer—— “Oh, no, it never rained,” Laura would tell you.”

strawberries noun US /ˈstrɔːberiz/

plural of “strawberry” — sweet fleshy red fruit

From this reading “I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.”

summers noun US /ˈsʌmərz/

plural of “summer” — the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading “I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.”

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.

pretty frock adjective + noun

In this reading “I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.”

at once preposition + adverb

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

In this reading “The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.”

for ever preposition + adverb

In this reading “I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.”

little things adjective + noun

In this reading “I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.”

All words in this reading · 86

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 I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

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 I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading “I know, because I remember.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

daisy-chainverb

connect devices on a part of a chip or circuit board in a computer

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading It rains for days in other summers.

earsnounUS /ɪrz/

plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

EdennounUS /ˈiːdən/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

flowersnounUS /ˈflaʊərz/

plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

frocknounUS /frɑːk/

a long, loose outer garment

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

glanceverbUS /ɡlæns/

throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

gloriesnounUS /ˈɡlɔːriz/

plural of “glory” — a state of high honor

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

glowsnounUS /ɡloʊz/

plural of “glow” — an alert and refreshed state

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

haynounUS /heɪ/

grass mowed and cured for use as fodder

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

immortaladjUS /ɪˈmɔːr.t̬əl/

Living forever; never dying or decaying. (Bất tử, trường tồn vĩnh cửu.)

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

jokenounUS /dʒoʊk/

a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

Laura

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

From this reading But in The Summer—— “Oh, no, it never rained,” Laura would tell you.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

mindsnounUS /maɪndz/

plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading But in The Summer—— “Oh, no, it never rained,” Laura would tell you.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading But in The Summer—— “Oh, no, it never rained,” Laura would tell you.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading But in The Summer—— “Oh, no, it never rained,” Laura would tell you.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

others

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

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

poppynounUS /ˈpɑːpi/

annual or biennial or perennial herbs having showy flowers

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

pourverbUS /pɔːr/

cause to run

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

primrosenounUS /ˈprɪmroʊz/

any of numerous short-stemmed plants of the genus Primula having tufted basal leaves and showy flowers clustered in umbels or heads

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/

with speed

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

rainedverbUS /reɪnd/

past form of “rain” — precipitate as rain

From this reading But in The Summer—— “Oh, no, it never rained,” Laura would tell you.

rainsnounUS /reɪnz/

plural of “rain” — water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading It rains for days in other summers.

reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading “I know, because I remember.

rememberedverbUS /rɪˈmembərd/

past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

rosesnounUS /ˈroʊzɪz/

plural of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

seasonsnounUS /ˈsiːzənz/

plural of “season” — a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

sentencesnounUS /ˈsentənsəz/

plural of “sentence” — a string of words satisfying the grammatical rules of a language

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

speakverbUS /spiːk/

express in speech

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

strawberriesnounUS /ˈstrɔːberiz/

plural of “strawberry” — sweet fleshy red fruit

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

SummernounUS /ˈsʌmər/

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

summersnounUS /ˈsʌmərz/

plural of “summer” — the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

supposeverbUS /səˈpoʊz/

express a supposition

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading But in The Summer—— “Oh, no, it never rained,” Laura would tell you.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

turningnounUS /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

voicenounUS /vɔɪs/

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading The other summers are well enough, but their flowers, every primrose and poppy of them, open in their seasons and not all at once: and they are soon over.

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading I suppose that we all know summers and summers and—The Summer—the one summer into which, for whatever reason, all the forgotten others pour their glories, so that for ever it glows in our minds, an Eden of sun and strawberries and roses and a frock—that was a pretty frock!—and remembered sentences that still speak themselves in our ears in a remembered voice—a summer of immortal little things—a joke, a glance, a daisy-chain, a head turning quickly, an afternoon in the hay.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading But in The Summer—— “Oh, no, it never rained,” Laura would tell you.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading But in The Summer—— “Oh, no, it never rained,” Laura would tell you.

Chapter 22 of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth by Clemence Dane holds 177 sentences, grouped into 36 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 22 of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth contain?

Chapter 22 holds 177 sentences of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth, unabridged, divided into 36 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 22 of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth by Clemence Dane exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 177 sentences, grouped into 36 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 22 of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth?

Work through the 36 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 36 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 22 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 22 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 First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth

Common questions about reading First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth by Clemence Dane on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth?

Yes. All 7010 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #63501 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #63501, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth take to read?

About 584 minutes of reading across 1402 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth section by section

How to work through First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 37 chapters of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth 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 First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth

Words and structures a reader meets early in First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Clemence
A word that appears in the opening chapter of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Regiment
A word that appears in the opening chapter of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Women
A word that appears in the opening chapter of First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.