Josiah Allen's Wife as a P. A. and P. I.

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Josiah Allen's Wife as a P. A. and P. I. is here in full — 392 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Marietta Holley • Curated US English Learning Edition

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

JOSIAH ALLEN’S WIFE AS A P. A. AND P. I.

SAMANTHA AT THE CENTENNIAL.

DESIGNED AS A BRIGHT AND SHINING LIGHT, TO PIERCE THE FOGS OF ERROR AND INJUSTICE THAT SURROUND SOCIETY AND JOSIAH, AND TO BRING MORE CLEARLY TO VIEW THE PATH THAT LEADS STRAIGHT ON TO VIRTUE AND HAPPINESS.

BY THE AUTHOR OF “MY OPINIONS AND BETSEY BOBBET’S.”

“_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

Narrator

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.

Chapter I Reading 1/78

Josiah Allen's Wife as a P. A. and P. I.

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Josiah Allen's Wife as a P. A. and P. I. is here in full — 392 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/78 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

JOSIAH ALLEN’S WIFE AS A P. A. AND P. I.

Line 2

SAMANTHA AT THE CENTENNIAL.

Line 3

Line 4

BY THE AUTHOR OF “MY OPINIONS AND BETSEY BOBBET’S.”

Line 5

“_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

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.

allen's noun US /ˈælənz/

possessive form of “allen” — United States comedienne remembered as the confused but imperturbable partner of her husband, George Burns (1906-1964)

centennial noun US /senˈteniəl/

the 100th anniversary (or the celebration of it)

From this reading “SAMANTHA AT THE CENTENNIAL.”

conn verb US /kɑːn/

conduct or direct the steering of a ship or plane

From this reading ““_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.”

fogs noun US /fɔːɡz/

plural of “fog” — droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground

From this reading “DESIGNED AS A BRIGHT AND SHINING LIGHT, TO PIERCE THE FOGS OF ERROR AND INJUSTICE THAT SURROUND SOCIETY AND JOSIAH, AND TO BRING MORE CLEARLY TO VIEW THE PATH THAT LEADS STRAIGHT ON TO VIRTUE AND HAPPINESS.”

hartford noun US /ˈhɑːrtfərd/

the state capital of Connecticut; located in central Connecticut on the Connecticut river; a center of the insurance business

From this reading ““_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.”

pierce verb US /pɪrs/

cut or make a way through

publishing noun US /ˈpʌblɪʃɪŋ/

the business of issuing printed matter for sale or distribution

From this reading ““_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.”

surround verb US /sərˈaʊnd/

extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle

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.

BY THE AUTHOR preposition + article + noun counted as “by … author”

In this reading “BY THE AUTHOR OF “MY OPINIONS AND BETSEY BOBBET’S.””

All words in this reading · 53

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.

1883

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

From this reading “_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading JOSIAH ALLEN’S WIFE AS A P. A. AND P. I.

ALLEN'SnounUS /ˈælənz/

possessive form of “allen” — United States comedienne remembered as the confused but imperturbable partner of her husband, George Burns (1906-1964)

From this reading JOSIAH ALLEN’S WIFE AS A P. A. AND P. I.

AMERICANnounUS /əˈmerəkən/

a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading “_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading JOSIAH ALLEN’S WIFE AS A P. A. AND P. I.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading “_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

ASconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading JOSIAH ALLEN’S WIFE AS A P. A. AND P. I.

ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading SAMANTHA AT THE CENTENNIAL.

AUTHORnounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading BY THE AUTHOR OF “MY OPINIONS AND BETSEY BOBBET’S.”

BETSEY

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

From this reading BY THE AUTHOR OF “MY OPINIONS AND BETSEY BOBBET’S.”

BOBBET'S

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

From this reading BY THE AUTHOR OF “MY OPINIONS AND BETSEY BOBBET’S.”

BRIGHTadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading DESIGNED AS A BRIGHT AND SHINING LIGHT, TO PIERCE THE FOGS OF ERROR AND INJUSTICE THAT SURROUND SOCIETY AND JOSIAH, AND TO BRING MORE CLEARLY TO VIEW THE PATH THAT LEADS STRAIGHT ON TO VIRTUE AND HAPPINESS.

BRINGverbUS /brɪŋ/

take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

BYprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading BY THE AUTHOR OF “MY OPINIONS AND BETSEY BOBBET’S.”

CENTENNIALnounUS /senˈteniəl/

the 100th anniversary (or the celebration of it)

From this reading SAMANTHA AT THE CENTENNIAL.

CLEARLYadverbUS /ˈklɪrli/

without doubt or question

COMPANYnounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading “_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

CONNverbUS /kɑːn/

conduct or direct the steering of a ship or plane

From this reading “_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

DESIGNEDadjectiveUS /dɪˈzaɪnd/

done or made or performed with purpose and intent

ERRORnounUS /ˈerər/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

FOGSnounUS /fɔːɡz/

plural of “fog” — droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading “_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

HAPPINESSnounUS /ˈhæpinəs/

state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy

HARTFORDnounUS /ˈhɑːrtfərd/

the state capital of Connecticut; located in central Connecticut on the Connecticut river; a center of the insurance business

From this reading “_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading JOSIAH ALLEN’S WIFE AS A P. A. AND P. I.

INJUSTICEnounUS /ˌɪnˈdʒʌstɪs/

an unjust act

JOSIAH

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

From this reading JOSIAH ALLEN’S WIFE AS A P. A. AND P. I.

LEADSnounUS /liːdz/

plural of “lead” — an advantage held by a competitor in a race

LIGHTadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

MOREadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

MYdeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading BY THE AUTHOR OF “MY OPINIONS AND BETSEY BOBBET’S.”

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading “_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

OPINIONSnounUS /əˈpɪnjənz/

plural of “opinion” — a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading BY THE AUTHOR OF “MY OPINIONS AND BETSEY BOBBET’S.”

PnounUS /piː/

a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms

From this reading JOSIAH ALLEN’S WIFE AS A P. A. AND P. I.

PATHnounUS /pæθ/

a course of conduct

PIERCEverbUS /pɪrs/

cut or make a way through

PUBLISHINGnounUS /ˈpʌblɪʃɪŋ/

the business of issuing printed matter for sale or distribution

From this reading “_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

SAMANTHA

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

From this reading SAMANTHA AT THE CENTENNIAL.

SHININGadjectiveUS /ˈʃaɪnɪŋ/

marked by exceptional merit

SOCIETYnounUS /səˈsaɪəti/

an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization

STRAIGHTadjectiveUS /streɪt/

successive (without a break)

SURROUNDverbUS /sərˈaʊnd/

extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle

THATconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading SAMANTHA AT THE CENTENNIAL.

TOparticleUS /tuː/

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

VIEWnounUS /vjuː/

a way of regarding situations or topics etc.

VIRTUEnounUS /ˈvɝː.tʃuː/

Moral excellence and goodness of character; the highest human attainment in Stoic philosophy.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

WIFEnounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading JOSIAH ALLEN’S WIFE AS A P. A. AND P. I.

writeverbUS /raɪt/

produce a literary work

From this reading “_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “_What are you going to write now, Samantha?_” HARTFORD, CONN.: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1883.

Chapter 1 of Josiah Allen's Wife as a P. A. and P. I. by Marietta Holley holds 392 sentences, grouped into 79 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 Josiah Allen's Wife as a P. A. and P. I. contain?

Chapter 1 holds 392 sentences of Josiah Allen's Wife as a P. A. and P. I., unabridged, divided into 79 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Josiah Allen's Wife as a P. A. and P. I. by Marietta Holley exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 392 sentences, grouped into 79 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 Josiah Allen's Wife as a P. A. and P. I.?

Work through the 79 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

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Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

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Chapter I

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