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For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1
For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1 is here in full — 340 sentences across 68 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1
Context Illustration Reading 1/68 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BISMARCK AND MANTEUFFEL.
About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.
The windows of the upper storey were only faintly lighted here and there.
From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1 is here in full — 340 sentences across 68 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/68 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BISMARCK AND MANTEUFFEL.
Line 2
About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Line 3
The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.
Line 4
The windows of the upper storey were only faintly lighted here and there.
/ðə ˈwɪndoʊz ʌv ðə ˈʌpər ˈstɔːri wɜːr ˈoʊnli ˈfeɪntli ˈlaɪtəd hiːr ənd ðer/
Line 5
From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

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.

bismarck noun US /ˈbɪzmɑːrk/

German statesman under whose leadership Germany was united (1815-1898)

From this reading “BISMARCK AND MANTEUFFEL.”

blinds noun US /blaɪndz/

plural of “blind” — people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group

From this reading “The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.”

illuminating adjective US /ˌɪˈluːməneɪtɪŋ/

tending to increase knowledge or dissipate ignorance

From this reading “About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.”

industrious adjective US /ˌɪnˈdʌstriəs/

characterized by hard work and perseverance

From this reading “The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.”

lateness noun US /ˈleɪtnəs/

quality of coming late or later in time

From this reading “The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.”

numbered verb US /ˈnʌmbərd/

past form of “number” — add up in number or quantity

From this reading “From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.”

storey noun US /ˈstɔːri/

a structure consisting of a room or set of rooms at a single position along a vertical scale

From this reading “The windows of the upper storey were only faintly lighted here and there.”

vehicles noun US /ˈviːhɪkəlz/

plural of “vehicle” — a conveyance that transports people or objects

From this reading “About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.”

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.

Foreign Affairs adjective + noun

In this reading “About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.”

cab drove noun + noun

In this reading “About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.”

peeped through verb + particle counted as “peep through”

In this reading “The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.”

ground floor noun + noun

the floor of a building that is at or nearest to the level of the ground around the building

In this reading “The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.”

green blinds noun + noun counted as “green blind”

In this reading “The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.”

About nine preposition + noun

In this reading “About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.”

black hat adjective + noun

In this reading “From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.”

between the two preposition + article + noun counted as “between … two”

In this reading “About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.”

All words in this reading · 107

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

1866

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

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

76

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

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

AffairsnounUS /əˈferz/

matters of personal concern

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading BISMARCK AND MANTEUFFEL.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

AprilnounUS /ˈeɪprəl/

the month following March and preceding May

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

Automedon

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

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

BerlinnounUS /bərˈlɪn/

capital of Germany located in eastern Germany

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

BISMARCKnounUS /ˈbɪzmɑːrk/

German statesman under whose leadership Germany was united (1815-1898)

From this reading BISMARCK AND MANTEUFFEL.

blackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

blindsnounUS /blaɪndz/

plural of “blind” — people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

cabnounUS /kæb/

a compartment at the front of a motor vehicle or locomotive where driver sits

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

coinsnounUS /kɔɪnz/

plural of “coin” — a flat metal piece (usually a disc) used as money

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

door-bell

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

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

dressedadjectiveUS /drest/

dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

drewnounUS /druː/

United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

drovenounUS /droʊv/

a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

faintlyadverbUS /ˈfeɪntli/

to a faint degree or weakly perceived

From this reading The windows of the upper storey were only faintly lighted here and there.

farenounUS /fer/

an agenda of things to do

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

ForeignadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrən/

of concern to or concerning the affairs of other nations (other than your own)

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

FromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

gas-lamp

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

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

greennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

hatnounUS /hæt/

headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

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

From this reading The windows of the upper storey were only faintly lighted here and there.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

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

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

illuminatingadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈluːməneɪtɪŋ/

tending to increase knowledge or dissipate ignorance

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

industriousadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdʌstriəs/

characterized by hard work and perseverance

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

lampsnounUS /læmps/

plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

latenessnounUS /ˈleɪtnəs/

quality of coming late or later in time

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

lightedadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪtəd/

set afire or burning

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

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

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

loudlyadverbUS /ˈlaʊdli/

with relatively high volume

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

MANTEUFFEL

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

From this reading BISMARCK AND MANTEUFFEL.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

middle-sized

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

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

MinisternounUS /ˈmɪnəstər/

a person authorized to conduct religious worship

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

ninenounUS /naɪn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

notwithstandingadverbUS /ˌnɑːtwɪθˈstændɪŋ/

despite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

numberedverbUS /ˈnʌmbərd/

past form of “number” — add up in number or quantity

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

office-like

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

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading The windows of the upper storey were only faintly lighted here and there.

paletot

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

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

payverbUS /peɪ/

give money, usually in exchange for goods or services

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

peculiaradjectiveUS /pəˈkjuːljər/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

peepedverbUS /piːpt/

past form of “peep” — look furtively

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

pursenounUS /pɜːrs/

a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women)

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

rangverbUS /ræŋ/

inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

roomsnounUS /ruːmz/

apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

settledadjectiveUS /ˈsetəld/

established or decided beyond dispute or doubt

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

steppedverbUS /stept/

inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

storeynounUS /ˈstɔːri/

a structure consisting of a room or set of rooms at a single position along a vertical scale

From this reading The windows of the upper storey were only faintly lighted here and there.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading The windows of the upper storey were only faintly lighted here and there.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

trotverbUS /trɑːt/

run at a moderately swift pace

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

two-storeyed

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

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

upperadjectiveUS /ˈʌpər/

the topmost one of two

From this reading The windows of the upper storey were only faintly lighted here and there.

vehiclesnounUS /ˈviːhɪkəlz/

plural of “vehicle” — a conveyance that transports people or objects

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

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 ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

well-filled

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

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The windows of the upper storey were only faintly lighted here and there.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading From the cab which drew up before this house stepped a middle-sized man, dressed in a dark paletot and black hat; he came close to the gas-lamp to look in his purse for the right coins with which to pay the fare, and as soon as he had settled with the numbered Automedon he rang loudly at the door-bell.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

Wilhelmsstrasse

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

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading The windows of the upper storey were only faintly lighted here and there.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

writersnounUS /ˈraɪtərz/

plural of “writer” — writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading The ground floor of this long two-storeyed house was well lighted up, and any one who peeped through the green blinds could see into many office-like rooms, well-filled with industrious writers, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour.

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading About nine o'clock on a dark April evening in the year 1866, a Berlin cab drove up the Wilhelmsstrasse with the trot peculiar to those vehicles, and stopped between the two lamps illuminating the door of No. 76, the house of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Chapter 1 of For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1 by Gregor Samarow holds 340 sentences, grouped into 68 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 For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1 contain?

Chapter 1 holds 340 sentences of For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1, unabridged, divided into 68 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1 by Gregor Samarow exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 340 sentences, grouped into 68 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 For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1?

Work through the 68 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 68 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 For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1

Common questions about reading For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1 by Gregor Samarow on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1?

Yes. All 3974 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #37723 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #37723, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1 take to read?

About 331 minutes of reading across 795 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1 section by section

How to work through For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 12 chapters of For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1 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 For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1

Words and structures a reader meets early in For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Bismarck
A word that appears in the opening chapter of For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Manteuffel
A word that appears in the opening chapter of For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
O'clock
A word that appears in the opening chapter of For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
April
A word that appears in the opening chapter of For Sceptre and Crown — Vol. 1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.