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Grey Town
Grey Town

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Grey Town is here in full — 199 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Grey Town
Context Illustration Reading 1/39 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.
Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.
Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.
It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.
At the feet of the town the ocean beats restlessly on the narrow strip of beach that fringes the shore.
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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.

Grey Town

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Grey Town is here in full — 199 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/39 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.
Line 2
Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.
Line 3
Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.
/ɡreɪ taʊn lʊks daʊn ɑːn ðə ˈrɪvər ənd ðə ˈoʊʃən ɪts striːts ˈklaɪmɪŋ ʌp ðə smɔːl hɪl əˈpɑːn wɪtʃ ðə taʊn hæz bɪn bɪlt/
Line 4
It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.
/ɪt ɪz ə ˈplezənt pleɪs ɪn wɪtʃ tuː laɪv wer ɪn ˈwɪntər ðə er ɪz wɔːrm ənd ɪn ˈsʌmər ə kuːl briːz frʌm ðə ˈoʊʃən ˈtempərz ðə ˈhɑːtəst deɪ/
Line 5
At the feet of the town the ocean beats restlessly on the narrow strip of beach that fringes the shore.
/æt ðə fiːt ʌv ðə taʊn ðə ˈoʊʃən biːts ˈrestləsli ɑːn ðə ˈneroʊ strɪp ʌv biːtʃ ðæt ˈfrɪndʒɪz ðə ʃɔːr/

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.

fringes noun US /ˈfrɪndʒɪz/

plural of “fringe” — the outside boundary or surface of something

From this reading “At the feet of the town the ocean beats restlessly on the narrow strip of beach that fringes the shore.”

hottest adjective US /ˈhɑːtəst/

superlative of “hot” — used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning

From this reading “It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.”

Knox noun US /nɑːks/

Scottish theologian who founded Presbyterianism in Scotland and wrote a history of the Reformation in Scotland (1514-1572)

From this reading “J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.”

Melbourne noun US /ˈmelbərn/

a resort town in east central Florida

From this reading “J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.”

Registered adjective US /ˈredʒɪstərd/

(of animals) officially recorded with or certified by a recognized breed association; especially in a stud book

From this reading “Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.”

stevens noun US /ˈstiːvənz/

United States psychologist and psychophysicist who proposed Stevens' power law to replace Fechner's law (1906-1973)

From this reading “J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.”

tempers noun US /ˈtempərz/

plural of “temper” — a sudden outburst of anger

From this reading “It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.”

transmission noun US /trænˈsmɪʃən/

the act of sending a message; causing a message to be transmitted

From this reading “Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.”

All words in this reading · 72

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.

1

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

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

7

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

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At the feet of the town the ocean beats restlessly on the narrow strip of beach that fringes the shore.

AuthornounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

beachnounUS /biːtʃ/

an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake

From this reading At the feet of the town the ocean beats restlessly on the narrow strip of beach that fringes the shore.

beatsnounUS /biːts/

a United States youth subculture of the 1950s; rejected possessions or regular work or traditional dress; for communal living and psychedelic drugs and anarchism; favored modern forms of jazz (e.g., bebop)

From this reading At the feet of the town the ocean beats restlessly on the narrow strip of beach that fringes the shore.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

booknounUS /bʊk/

a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)

From this reading Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.

breezenounUS /briːz/

a slight wind (usually refreshing)

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

builtadjectiveUS /bɪlt/

(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.

Cassidy

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

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

climbingnounUS /ˈklaɪmɪŋ/

an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

cooladjectiveUS /kuːl/

neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

Dr

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

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

etc

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

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading At the feet of the town the ocean beats restlessly on the narrow strip of beach that fringes the shore.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.

fringesnounUS /ˈfrɪndʒɪz/

plural of “fringe” — the outside boundary or surface of something

From this reading At the feet of the town the ocean beats restlessly on the narrow strip of beach that fringes the shore.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

GreyadjectiveUS /ɡreɪ/

of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

hillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

hottestadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːtəst/

superlative of “hot” — used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

JnounUS /dʒeɪ/

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

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

KnoxnounUS /nɑːks/

Scottish theologian who founded Presbyterianism in Scotland and wrote a history of the Reformation in Scotland (1514-1572)

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

liveverbUS /laɪv/

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

looksnounUS /lʊks/

plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

MelbournenounUS /ˈmelbərn/

a resort town in east central Florida

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

narrowverbUS /ˈneroʊ/

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading At the feet of the town the ocean beats restlessly on the narrow strip of beach that fringes the shore.

oceannounUS /ˈoʊʃən/

a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

PatverbUS /pæt/

pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

PlacenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

pleasantadjectiveUS /ˈplezənt/

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

postverbUS /poʊst/

affix in a public place or for public notice

From this reading Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.

Postmaster-General

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

From this reading Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.

PrintnounUS /prɪnt/

the text appearing in a book, newspaper, or other printed publication

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

RegisteredadjectiveUS /ˈredʒɪstərd/

(of animals) officially recorded with or certified by a recognized breed association; especially in a stud book

From this reading Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.

restlesslyadverbUS /ˈrestləsli/

in a restless manner

From this reading At the feet of the town the ocean beats restlessly on the narrow strip of beach that fringes the shore.

rivernounUS /ˈrɪvər/

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

ROY

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

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

shorenounUS /ʃɔːr/

the land along the edge of a body of water

From this reading At the feet of the town the ocean beats restlessly on the narrow strip of beach that fringes the shore.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

STEVENSnounUS /ˈstiːvənz/

United States psychologist and psychophysicist who proposed Stevens' power law to replace Fechner's law (1906-1973)

From this reading J ROY STEVENS, Print., 1-7 Knox Place, Melbourne Author of "Dr. Pat Cassidy," etc.

streetsnounUS /striːts/

plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

stripverbUS /strɪp/

take away possessions from someone

From this reading At the feet of the town the ocean beats restlessly on the narrow strip of beach that fringes the shore.

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 It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

tempersnounUS /ˈtempərz/

plural of “temper” — a sudden outburst of anger

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading At the feet of the town the ocean beats restlessly on the narrow strip of beach that fringes the shore.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

TownnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

transmissionnounUS /trænˈsmɪʃən/

the act of sending a message; causing a message to be transmitted

From this reading Registered by the Postmaster-General for transmission through the post as a book.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

warmadjectiveUS /wɔːrm/

having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Grey Town looks down on the river and the ocean, its streets climbing up the small hill upon which the town has been built.

winternounUS /ˈwɪntər/

the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox

From this reading It is a pleasant place in which to live, where, in winter, the air is warm, and in summer a cool breeze from the ocean tempers the hottest day.

Chapter 1 of Grey Town by Gerald R. (Gerald Robert) Baldwin holds 199 sentences, grouped into 40 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 Grey Town contain?

Chapter 1 holds 199 sentences of Grey Town, unabridged, divided into 40 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Grey Town by Gerald R. (Gerald Robert) Baldwin exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 199 sentences, grouped into 40 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 Grey Town?

Work through the 40 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 40 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 Grey Town

Common questions about reading Grey Town by Gerald R. (Gerald Robert) Baldwin on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Grey Town?

Yes. All 4615 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26034 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Grey Town is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #26034, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Grey Town take to read?

About 384 minutes of reading across 923 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Grey Town section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of Grey Town 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 Grey Town

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

Stevens
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Grey Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Print
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Grey Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Place
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Grey Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Melbourne
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Grey Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.