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He swallows gold
He swallows gold

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of He swallows gold is here in full — 331 sentences across 67 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for He swallows gold
Context Illustration Reading 1/66 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.
Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.
That’s the way of a white man.
A Chinaman, however, is just the opposite.
He does _not_ want to show his methods.
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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.

He swallows gold

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of He swallows gold is here in full — 331 sentences across 67 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/66 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.
Line 2
Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.
Line 3
That’s the way of a white man.
Line 4
A Chinaman, however, is just the opposite.
Line 5
He does _not_ want to show his methods.
/hiː dʌz nɑːt wɑːnt tuː ʃoʊ hɪz ˈmeθədz/

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.

affairs noun US /əˈferz/

matters of personal concern

From this reading ““We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.”

Davis noun US /ˈdeɪvəs/

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

From this reading ““We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.”

managing verb US /ˈmænədʒɪŋ/

-ing form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal

From this reading ““We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.”

methods noun US /ˈmeθədz/

plural of “method” — a way of doing something, especially a systematic way; implies an orderly logical arrangement (usually in steps)

From this reading ““We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.”

opposite adjective US /ˈɑːpəzət/

being directly across from each other; facing

From this reading “A Chinaman, however, is just the opposite.”

respect noun US /rɪˈspekt/

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading “Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.”

thinks noun US /θɪŋks/

plural of “think” — an instance of deliberate thinking

From this reading “Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.”

tin noun US /tɪn/

a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide

From this reading “Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.”

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.

white man noun + noun

a man who is White

In this reading “That’s the way of a white man.”

show off verb + particle

display proudly; act ostentatiously or pretentiously

In this reading ““We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.”

All words in this reading · 49

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 Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

affairsnounUS /əˈferz/

matters of personal concern

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

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 “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

Carefrew

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

From this reading Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.

Chinamannoun

(ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Chinese descent

From this reading A Chinaman, however, is just the opposite.

DavisnounUS /ˈdeɪvəs/

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

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading He does _not_ want to show his methods.

EachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.

expositverb

state

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

godnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He does _not_ want to show his methods.

how

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

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading A Chinaman, however, is just the opposite.

Huber

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

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading A Chinaman, however, is just the opposite.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading That’s the way of a white man.

managingverbUS /ˈmænədʒɪŋ/

-ing form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

methodsnounUS /ˈmeθədz/

plural of “method” — a way of doing something, especially a systematic way; implies an orderly logical arrangement (usually in steps)

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He does _not_ want to show his methods.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

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

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

oppositeadjectiveUS /ˈɑːpəzət/

being directly across from each other; facing

From this reading A Chinaman, however, is just the opposite.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

particularadjectiveUS /pərˈtɪkjələr/

unique or specific to a person or thing or category

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

reflectivelyadverb

in a reflective manner

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

respectnounUS /rɪˈspekt/

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

showverbUS /ʃoʊ/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.

That's

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

From this reading That’s the way of a white man.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading That’s the way of a white man.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

thinksnounUS /θɪŋks/

plural of “think” — an instance of deliberate thinking

From this reading Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.

tinnounUS /tɪn/

a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide

From this reading Each of us thinks he is a little tin god in that respect, Carefrew.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading He does _not_ want to show his methods.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading “We, all of us,” said Huber Davis reflectively, “like to show off _how_ we do things; we like to tell people about our methods; we like to exposit our particular way of managing affairs.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading That’s the way of a white man.

Chapter 1 of He swallows gold by H. (Henry) Bedford-Jones holds 331 sentences, grouped into 67 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 He swallows gold contain?

Chapter 1 holds 331 sentences of He swallows gold, unabridged, divided into 67 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of He swallows gold by H. (Henry) Bedford-Jones exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 331 sentences, grouped into 67 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 He swallows gold?

Work through the 67 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 67 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 He swallows gold

Common questions about reading He swallows gold by H. (Henry) Bedford-Jones on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of He swallows gold?

Yes. All 331 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #72871 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of He swallows gold is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #72871, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does He swallows gold take to read?

About 27 minutes of reading across 67 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read He swallows gold section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 He swallows gold

Words and structures a reader meets early in He swallows gold, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Huber
A word that appears in the opening chapter of He swallows gold; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Davis
A word that appears in the opening chapter of He swallows gold; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Reflectively
A word that appears in the opening chapter of He swallows gold; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Things
A word that appears in the opening chapter of He swallows gold; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.