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L'Abbe Constantin — Complete
L'Abbe Constantin — Complete

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of L'Abbe Constantin — Complete is here in full — 362 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/72 · 5 lines
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With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.
For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.
The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.
The Cure stopped, and mournfully regarded two immense blue posters fixed on the pillars.
The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

L'Abbe Constantin — Complete

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of L'Abbe Constantin — Complete is here in full — 362 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/72 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.
/wɪð ə step stɪl ˈvæl.jənt ənd fɜːrm æn oʊld priːst wɔːkt əˈlɔːŋ ðə ˈdʌsti roʊd ɪn ðə fʊl reɪz ʌv ə ˈbrɪljənt sʌn/
Line 2
For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.
Line 3
The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.
Line 4
The Cure stopped, and mournfully regarded two immense blue posters fixed on the pillars.
Line 5
The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

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.

domain noun US /doʊˈmeɪn/

a particular environment or walk of life

From this reading “The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:”

gnawed verb US /nɔːd/

past form of “gnaw” — bite or chew on with the teeth

From this reading “The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.”

massive adjective US /ˈmæsɪv/

imposing in size or bulk or solidity

From this reading “The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.”

pillars noun US /ˈpɪlərz/

plural of “pillar” — a fundamental principle or practice

From this reading “The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.”

posters noun US /ˈpoʊstərz/

plural of “poster” — a sign posted in a public place as an advertisement

From this reading “The Cure stopped, and mournfully regarded two immense blue posters fixed on the pillars.”

Tribunal noun US /trəˈbjuːnəl/

an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

From this reading “The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:”

valiant adj US /ˈvæl.jənt/

Possessing or showing courage or determination; heroic. (Dũng cảm, quả cảm, anh hùng.)

From this reading “With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.”

Wednesday noun US /ˈwenzdi/

the fourth day of the week; the third working day

From this reading “The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:”

All words in this reading · 97

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.

18

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

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

1881

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

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

AbbenounUS /ˈæbi/

a French abbot

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

announcedadjectiveUS /əˈnaʊnst/

declared publicly; made widely known

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

banksnounUS /bæŋks/

English botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific Ocean (1743-1820)

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

blueadjectiveUS /bluː/

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading The Cure stopped, and mournfully regarded two immense blue posters fixed on the pillars.

brilliantadjectiveUS /ˈbrɪljənt/

of surpassing excellence

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

castlenounUS /ˈkæsəl/

a large and stately mansion

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

CiviladjectiveUS /ˈsɪvəl/

applying to ordinary citizens as contrasted with the military

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

Constantin

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

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

CureverbUS /kjʊr/

provide a cure for, make healthy again

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

dividedadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaɪdɪd/

separated into parts or pieces

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

domainnounUS /doʊˈmeɪn/

a particular environment or walk of life

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/

covered with a layer of dust

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

embrowned

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

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

entrance-gate

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

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

firmadjectiveUS /fɜːrm/

marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

fixedadjectiveUS /fɪkst/

(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value

From this reading The Cure stopped, and mournfully regarded two immense blue posters fixed on the pillars.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

fournounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

gnawedverbUS /nɔːd/

past form of “gnaw” — bite or chew on with the teeth

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

immenseadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmens/

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading The Cure stopped, and mournfully regarded two immense blue posters fixed on the pillars.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

LanounUS /lɑː/

a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

Lizotte

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

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

Longueval

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

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

lotsnounUS /lɑːts/

a large number or amount

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

MnounUS /em/

the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

massiveadjectiveUS /ˈmæsɪv/

imposing in size or bulk or solidity

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

Maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

mournfullyadverb

in a mournful manner

From this reading The Cure stopped, and mournfully regarded two immense blue posters fixed on the pillars.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

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 The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

parknounUS /pɑːrk/

a large area of land preserved in its natural state as public property

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

pillarsnounUS /ˈpɪlərz/

plural of “pillar” — a fundamental principle or practice

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

plainadjectiveUS /pleɪn/

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

postersnounUS /ˈpoʊstərz/

plural of “poster” — a sign posted in a public place as an advertisement

From this reading The Cure stopped, and mournfully regarded two immense blue posters fixed on the pillars.

priestnounUS /priːst/

a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

raysnounUS /reɪz/

plural of “ray” — a column of light (as from a beacon)

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

regardedverbUS /rɪˈɡɑːrdɪd/

past form of “regard” — deem to be

From this reading The Cure stopped, and mournfully regarded two immense blue posters fixed on the pillars.

restedadjectiveUS /ˈrestəd/

not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

salenounUS /seɪl/

a particular instance of selling

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

slenderadjectiveUS /ˈslendər/

being of delicate or slender build

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

sleptverbUS /slept/

inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

Souvigny

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

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

stepnounUS /step/

any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

stonenounUS /stoʊn/

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading The Cure stopped, and mournfully regarded two immense blue posters fixed on the pillars.

streamnounUS /striːm/

a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

surroundedadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪd/

confined on all sides

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

thirtynounUS /ˈθɜːrdiː/

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

TribunalnounUS /trəˈbjuːnəl/

an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

valiantadjUS /ˈvæl.jənt/

Possessing or showing courage or determination; heroic. (Dũng cảm, quả cảm, anh hùng.)

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

walkingadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːkɪŋ/

close enough to be walked to

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

wallnounUS /wɔːl/

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The Abbe Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and gnawed by time.

WednesdaynounUS /ˈwenzdi/

the fourth day of the week; the third working day

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty road in the full rays of a brilliant sun.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny, the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading For more than thirty years the Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte.

Chapter 1 of L'Abbe Constantin — Complete by Ludovic Halévy holds 362 sentences, grouped into 73 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.

What does chapter 1 of L'Abbe Constantin — Complete contain?

Chapter 1 holds 362 sentences of L'Abbe Constantin — Complete, unabridged, divided into 73 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of L'Abbe Constantin — Complete by Ludovic Halévy exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 362 sentences, grouped into 73 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 L'Abbe Constantin — Complete?

Work through the 73 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 73 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 L'Abbe Constantin — Complete

Common questions about reading L'Abbe Constantin — Complete by Ludovic Halévy on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of L'Abbe Constantin — Complete?

Yes. All 2687 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3957 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of L'Abbe Constantin — Complete is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3957, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does L'Abbe Constantin — Complete take to read?

About 223 minutes of reading across 538 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read L'Abbe Constantin — Complete section by section

How to work through L'Abbe Constantin — Complete section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in L'Abbe Constantin — Complete

Words and structures a reader meets early in L'Abbe Constantin — Complete, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Still
A word that appears in the opening chapter of L'Abbe Constantin — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Valiant
A word that appears in the opening chapter of L'Abbe Constantin — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Priest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of L'Abbe Constantin — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Walked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of L'Abbe Constantin — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.