Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
High Dragon Bump
High Dragon Bump

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of High Dragon Bump is here in full — 481 sentences across 97 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for High Dragon Bump
Context Illustration Reading 1/96 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.
Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.
The girl was not exactly naked, but her few filmy clothes concealed nothing.
Wayne cleared his throat, his apprehension changing rapidly to confusion.
"_You_ are going to _reduce_ me?" he asked.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

High Dragon Bump

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of High Dragon Bump is here in full — 481 sentences across 97 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/96 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.
Line 2
Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.
Line 3
The girl was not exactly naked, but her few filmy clothes concealed nothing.
Line 4
Wayne cleared his throat, his apprehension changing rapidly to confusion.
/weɪn klɪrd hɪz θroʊt hɪz ˌæprɪˈhenʃən ˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ ˈræpədli tuː kənˈfjuːʒən/
Line 5
"_You_ are going to _reduce_ me?" he asked.
/juː ɑːr ˈɡoʊɪŋ tuː rəˈduːs miː hiː æskt/

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.

blond adjective US /blɑːnd/

being or having light colored skin and hair and usually blue or grey eyes

From this reading “Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.”

Brighton noun US /ˈbraɪtən/

a city in East Sussex in southern England that is a popular resort; site of the University of Sussex

From this reading “Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.”

bump verb US /bʌmp/

knock against with force or violence

From this reading “_If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.”

creamed verb US /kriːmd/

past form of “cream” — make creamy by beating

From this reading “Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.”

gluck noun US /ɡlʌk/

German composer of more than 100 operas (1714-1787)

From this reading “Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.”

Hokum noun US /ˈhoʊkəm/

a message that seems to convey no meaning

From this reading “Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.”

reduction noun US /rəˈdʌkʃən/

the act of decreasing or reducing something

From this reading “_If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.”

thistle noun US /ˈθɪsəl/

any of numerous plants of the family Compositae and especially of the genera Carduus and Cirsium and Onopordum having prickly-edged leaves

From this reading “Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.”

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.

blond hair adjective + noun

In this reading “Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.”

sweet potatoes adjective + noun counted as “sweet potato”

pantropical vine widely cultivated in several varieties for its large sweet tuberous root with orange flesh

In this reading “Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.”

smooth skin adjective + noun

In this reading “Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.”

in the middle preposition + article + noun counted as “in … middle”

In this reading “Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.”

beautiful girl adjective + noun

In this reading “Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.”

All words in this reading · 67

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 _If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

apprehensionnounUS /ˌæprɪˈhenʃən/

fearful expectation or anticipation

From this reading Wayne cleared his throat, his apprehension changing rapidly to confusion.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading "_You_ are going to _reduce_ me?" he asked.

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading "_You_ are going to _reduce_ me?" he asked.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

blondadjectiveUS /blɑːnd/

being or having light colored skin and hair and usually blue or grey eyes

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

BrightonnounUS /ˈbraɪtən/

a city in East Sussex in southern England that is a popular resort; site of the University of Sussex

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

bumpverbUS /bʌmp/

knock against with force or violence

From this reading _If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The girl was not exactly naked, but her few filmy clothes concealed nothing.

changingadjectiveUS /ˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/

marked by continuous change or effective action

From this reading Wayne cleared his throat, his apprehension changing rapidly to confusion.

Cirissins

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

From this reading _If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.

clearedadjectiveUS /klɪrd/

rid of objects or obstructions such as e.g. trees and brush

From this reading Wayne cleared his throat, his apprehension changing rapidly to confusion.

clothesnounUS /kloʊðz/

clothing in general

From this reading The girl was not exactly naked, but her few filmy clothes concealed nothing.

colornounUS /ˈkʌlər/

a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit or transmit or reflect

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

concealedadjectiveUS /kənˈsiːld/

not accessible to view

From this reading The girl was not exactly naked, but her few filmy clothes concealed nothing.

confusionnounUS /kənˈfjuːʒən/

disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably

From this reading Wayne cleared his throat, his apprehension changing rapidly to confusion.

creamedverbUS /kriːmd/

past form of “cream” — make creamy by beating

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/

past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

exactlyadverbUS /ɪɡˈzæktli/

indicating exactness or preciseness

From this reading The girl was not exactly naked, but her few filmy clothes concealed nothing.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading The girl was not exactly naked, but her few filmy clothes concealed nothing.

filmyadjective

so thin as to transmit light

From this reading The girl was not exactly naked, but her few filmy clothes concealed nothing.

floatedverbUS /ˈfloʊtəd/

past form of “float” — be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

glucknounUS /ɡlʌk/

German composer of more than 100 operas (1714-1787)

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading "_You_ are going to _reduce_ me?" he asked.

goldenadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊldən/

having the deep slightly brownish color of gold

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

hairnounUS /her/

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading _If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "_You_ are going to _reduce_ me?" he asked.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading The girl was not exactly naked, but her few filmy clothes concealed nothing.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Wayne cleared his throat, his apprehension changing rapidly to confusion.

HokumnounUS /ˈhoʊkəm/

a message that seems to convey no meaning

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading _If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading _If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "_You_ are going to _reduce_ me?" he asked.

metalnounUS /ˈmetəl/

any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

middlenounUS /ˈmɪdəl/

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

nakedadjectiveUS /ˈneɪkəd/

completely unclothed

From this reading The girl was not exactly naked, but her few filmy clothes concealed nothing.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The girl was not exactly naked, but her few filmy clothes concealed nothing.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading The girl was not exactly naked, but her few filmy clothes concealed nothing.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading _If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.

potatoesnounUS /pəˈteɪtoʊz/

plural of “potato” — an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

rapidlyadverbUS /ˈræpədli/

with speed

From this reading Wayne cleared his throat, his apprehension changing rapidly to confusion.

reduceverbUS /rəˈduːs/

cut down on; make a reduction in

From this reading "_You_ are going to _reduce_ me?" he asked.

reductionnounUS /rəˈdʌkʃən/

the act of decreasing or reducing something

From this reading _If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

skinnounUS /skɪn/

a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

smoothadjectiveUS /smuːð/

having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.

thistlenounUS /ˈθɪsəl/

any of numerous plants of the family Compositae and especially of the genera Carduus and Cirsium and Onopordum having prickly-edged leaves

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

throatnounUS /θroʊt/

The passage at the back of the mouth.

From this reading Wayne cleared his throat, his apprehension changing rapidly to confusion.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Wayne cleared his throat, his apprehension changing rapidly to confusion.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading _If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.

torchnounUS /tɔːrtʃ/

a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance

From this reading _If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

wantedadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːntɪd/

desired or wished for or sought

From this reading _If it took reduction or torch hair, the Cirissins wanted a bump.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The girl was not exactly naked, but her few filmy clothes concealed nothing.

WaynenounUS /weɪn/

United States film actor who played tough heroes (1907-1979)

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

windowless

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

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "_You_ are going to _reduce_ me?" he asked.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Hokum, thistle, gluck._ A young and very beautiful girl with golden blond hair and smooth skin the color of creamed sweet potatoes floated in the middle of the windowless metal room into which Wayne Brighton drifted.

Chapter 1 of High Dragon Bump by Don Thompson holds 481 sentences, grouped into 97 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 High Dragon Bump contain?

Chapter 1 holds 481 sentences of High Dragon Bump, unabridged, divided into 97 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of High Dragon Bump by Don Thompson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 481 sentences, grouped into 97 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 High Dragon Bump?

Work through the 97 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 97 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 High Dragon Bump

Common questions about reading High Dragon Bump by Don Thompson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of High Dragon Bump?

Yes. All 481 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #30330 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of High Dragon Bump is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #30330, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does High Dragon Bump take to read?

About 40 minutes of reading across 97 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read High Dragon Bump section by section

How to work through High Dragon Bump section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of High Dragon Bump 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 High Dragon Bump

Words and structures a reader meets early in High Dragon Bump, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Reduction
A word that appears in the opening chapter of High Dragon Bump; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Torch
A word that appears in the opening chapter of High Dragon Bump; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cirissins
A word that appears in the opening chapter of High Dragon Bump; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wanted
A word that appears in the opening chapter of High Dragon Bump; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.