Chapter 1 of Heads and tales is here in full — 226 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Heads and tales is here in full — 226 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
HEADS AND TALES. CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN. ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM. LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET. MDCCCLXX.
Chapter 1 of Heads and tales is here in full — 226 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
(Old Testament) in Judeo-Christian mythology; the first man and the husband of Eve and the progenitor of the human race
From this reading “ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM.”
a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
From this reading “ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM.”
for the most part
From this reading “CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.”
a specialized division of a large organization
From this reading “ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM.”
plural of “history” — the aggregate of past events
From this reading “CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.”
plural of “incident” — a single distinct event
From this reading “CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.”
a depository for collecting and displaying objects having scientific or historical or artistic value
From this reading “ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM.”
concerning the study of animals and their classification and properties
From this reading “ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.
(Old Testament) in Judeo-Christian mythology; the first man and the husband of Eve and the progenitor of the human race
From this reading ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading HEADS AND TALES.
a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
From this reading ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.
the people of Great Britain
From this reading ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM.
for the most part
From this reading CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.
an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon
From this reading LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.
being joined in close association
From this reading CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.
a specialized division of a large organization
From this reading ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM.
(used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation
From this reading CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading HEADS AND TALES.
plural of “history” — the aggregate of past events
From this reading CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.
plural of “incident” — a single distinct event
From this reading CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MDCCCLXX.
the force of workers available
From this reading CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.
a depository for collecting and displaying objects having scientific or historical or artistic value
From this reading ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.
plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading HEADS AND TALES.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.
a Caucasian
From this reading ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM.
in the company of; together with
From this reading CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORIES OF MORE OR LESS DISTINGUISHED MEN.
concerning the study of animals and their classification and properties
From this reading ADAM WHITE, LATE ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH MUSEUM.
Chapter 1 of Heads and tales by Adam [Editor] White holds 226 sentences, grouped into 46 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.
Chapter 1 holds 226 sentences of Heads and tales, unabridged, divided into 46 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Heads and tales by Adam [Editor] White exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 226 sentences, grouped into 46 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.
Work through the 46 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 46 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.
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.
Common questions about reading Heads and tales by Adam [Editor] White on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3711 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #25918 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #25918, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 309 minutes of reading across 743 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Heads and tales section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 9 chapters of Heads and tales to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Heads and tales, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
