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Hollowmell
Hollowmell

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Hollowmell is here in full — 116 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/23 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A SCHOOLGIRL'S MISSION.
E. R. Burden.
GLASGOW: JOHN S. MARR & SONS, 51 DUNDAS STREET.
1881.
"Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Hollowmell

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Hollowmell is here in full — 116 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/23 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A SCHOOLGIRL'S MISSION.
Line 2
E. R. Burden.
/iː ɑːr ˈbɜːrdən/
Line 3
GLASGOW: JOHN S. MARR & SONS, 51 DUNDAS STREET.
Line 4
1881.
Line 5
"Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

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.

cupboard noun US /ˈkʌbərd/

a small room (or recess) or cabinet used for storage space

From this reading “"Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.”

diving noun US /ˈdaɪvɪŋ/

an athletic competition that involves diving into water

From this reading “"Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.”

glasgow noun US /ˈɡlæskoʊ/

largest city in Scotland; a port on the Clyde in west central Scotland; one of the great shipbuilding centers of the world

From this reading “GLASGOW: JOHN S. MARR & SONS, 51 DUNDAS STREET.”

Kimberley noun US /ˈkɪmbərli/

city in central South Africa; center for diamond mining and diamond marketing

From this reading “"Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.”

peer noun US /pɪr/

a person who is of equal standing with another in a group

From this reading “"Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.”

schoolroom noun US /ˈskuːlruːm/

a room in a school where lessons take place

From this reading “"Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.”

unlikely adjective US /ənˈlaɪkli/

not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred

From this reading “"Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.”

vexed adjective US /vekst/

troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances

From this reading “"Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.”

All words in this reading · 66

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.

1881

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

From this reading 1881.

51

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

From this reading GLASGOW: JOHN S. MARR & SONS, 51 DUNDAS STREET.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading A SCHOOLGIRL'S MISSION.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

BurdennounUS /ˈbɜːrdən/

an onerous or difficult concern

From this reading E. R. Burden.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

cupboardnounUS /ˈkʌbərd/

a small room (or recess) or cabinet used for storage space

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

desknounUS /desk/

a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

divingnounUS /ˈdaɪvɪŋ/

an athletic competition that involves diving into water

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

DUNDAS

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

From this reading GLASGOW: JOHN S. MARR & SONS, 51 DUNDAS STREET.

EnounUS /iː/

a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body

From this reading E. R. Burden.

exclaimedverbUS /ɪkˈskleɪmd/

past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

formnounUS /fɔːrm/

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

GLASGOWnounUS /ˈɡlæskoʊ/

largest city in Scotland; a port on the Clyde in west central Scotland; one of the great shipbuilding centers of the world

From this reading GLASGOW: JOHN S. MARR & SONS, 51 DUNDAS STREET.

huntedadjectiveUS /ˈhʌntəd/

reflecting the fear or terror of one who is hunted

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

JOHNnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading GLASGOW: JOHN S. MARR & SONS, 51 DUNDAS STREET.

KimberleynounUS /ˈkɪmbərli/

city in central South Africa; center for diamond mining and diamond marketing

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

lengthnounUS /leŋkθ/

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

MARR

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

From this reading GLASGOW: JOHN S. MARR & SONS, 51 DUNDAS STREET.

Minnie

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

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

Minnie's

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

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

MISSIONnounUS /ˈmɪʃən/

an organization of missionaries in a foreign land sent to carry on religious work

From this reading A SCHOOLGIRL'S MISSION.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

openingnounUS /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/

an open or empty space in or between things

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

out-of-the-wayadjective

exceptional, unusual, or remarkable

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

peernounUS /pɪr/

a person who is of equal standing with another in a group

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

placesnounUS /ˈpleɪsəz/

plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

RnounUS /ɑːr/

a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air

From this reading E. R. Burden.

SnounUS /es/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading GLASGOW: JOHN S. MARR & SONS, 51 DUNDAS STREET.

SCHOOLGIRL'S

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

From this reading A SCHOOLGIRL'S MISSION.

schoolroomnounUS /ˈskuːlruːm/

a room in a school where lessons take place

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

SONSnounUS /sʌnz/

plural of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading GLASGOW: JOHN S. MARR & SONS, 51 DUNDAS STREET.

STREETnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading GLASGOW: JOHN S. MARR & SONS, 51 DUNDAS STREET.

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

tonenounUS /toʊn/

the quality of a person's voice

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

unlikelyadjectiveUS /ənˈlaɪkli/

not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

vexedadjectiveUS /vekst/

troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

whereverconjunctionUS /weˈrevər/

in or to any place at all

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

WhynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading "Why, wherever _can_ my books be?" exclaimed Minnie Kimberley in a vexed tone, as she hunted up and down the schoolroom, opening now one cupboard, then another, now a desk, and again diving down to peer under some out-of-the-way table or form; for places which one would think the most unlikely, were certain to be the places where Minnie's books would at length be discovered.

Chapter 1 of Hollowmell by E. R. Burden holds 116 sentences, grouped into 24 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 Hollowmell contain?

Chapter 1 holds 116 sentences of Hollowmell, unabridged, divided into 24 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Hollowmell by E. R. Burden exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 116 sentences, grouped into 24 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 Hollowmell?

Work through the 24 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 24 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 Hollowmell

Common questions about reading Hollowmell by E. R. Burden on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Hollowmell?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Hollowmell is used?

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

How long does Hollowmell take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Hollowmell section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 0 chapters of Hollowmell 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 Hollowmell

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

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Hollowmell, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of Hollowmell, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of Hollowmell, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.