Chapter 1 of In a German Pension is here in full — 232 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter I
Chapter 1 of In a German Pension is here in full — 232 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Bread soup was placed upon the table. “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need. My ‘magen’ has not been in order for several days. Bread soup, and just the right consistency. I am a good cook myself”—he turned to me.
Chapter 1 of In a German Pension is here in full — 232 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/46 · 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.
food made from dough of flour or meal and usually raised with yeast or baking powder and then baked
From this reading “Bread soup was placed upon the table.”
the property of holding together and retaining its shape
From this reading “Bread soup, and just the right consistency.”
prepare a hot meal
From this reading “I am a good cook myself”—he turned to me.”
a German man; used before the name as a title equivalent to Mr in English
From this reading ““Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.”
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading ““Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.”
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading ““Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.”
any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
From this reading ““Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.”
liquid food especially of meat or fish or vegetable stock often containing pieces of solid food
From this reading “Bread soup was placed upon the table.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I am a good cook myself”—he turned to me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading I am a good cook myself”—he turned to me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Bread soup, and just the right consistency.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading My ‘magen’ has not been in order for several days.
food made from dough of flour or meal and usually raised with yeast or baking powder and then baked
From this reading Bread soup was placed upon the table.
the property of holding together and retaining its shape
From this reading Bread soup, and just the right consistency.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading I am a good cook myself”—he turned to me.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading My ‘magen’ has not been in order for several days.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading My ‘magen’ has not been in order for several days.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading I am a good cook myself”—he turned to me.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading My ‘magen’ has not been in order for several days.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
a German man; used before the name as a title equivalent to Mr in English
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading My ‘magen’ has not been in order for several days.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
and nothing more
From this reading Bread soup, and just the right consistency.
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My ‘magen’ has not been in order for several days.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I am a good cook myself”—he turned to me.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My ‘magen’ has not been in order for several days.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I am a good cook myself”—he turned to me.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading My ‘magen’ has not been in order for several days.
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading My ‘magen’ has not been in order for several days.
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading Bread soup was placed upon the table.
any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Bread soup, and just the right consistency.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading My ‘magen’ has not been in order for several days.
liquid food especially of meat or fish or vegetable stock often containing pieces of solid food
From this reading Bread soup was placed upon the table.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Bread soup was placed upon the table.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Bread soup was placed upon the table.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I am a good cook myself”—he turned to me.
large deep serving dish with a cover; for serving soups and stews
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading I am a good cook myself”—he turned to me.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Bread soup was placed upon the table.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Bread soup was placed upon the table.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “Ah,” said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, “that is what I need.
Chapter 1 of In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield holds 232 sentences, grouped into 47 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 232 sentences of In a German Pension, unabridged, divided into 47 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 232 sentences, grouped into 47 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 47 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 47 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 In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2356 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1472 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1472, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 196 minutes of reading across 472 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through In a German Pension section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 10 chapters of In a German Pension 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 In a German Pension, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
