Chapter 1 of Life Sentence is here in full — 435 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Life Sentence is here in full — 435 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
_"Happy New Year!" she cried. But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing. "Happy New Year!" The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells. "Happy New Year!"
Chapter 1 of Life Sentence is here in full — 435 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/87 · 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.
plural of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading “But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.”
driven insane
From this reading “The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.”
past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate
From this reading “The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.”
the period during which something is functional (as between birth and death)
From this reading “But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.”
roused to anger
From this reading “The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.”
the sound of a bell ringing
From this reading “But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.”
encouragement in the form of cheers from spectators
From this reading “The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.”
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading “But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.”
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.
temporarily
In this reading “The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.”
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 But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
plural of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
driven insane
From this reading The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading _"Happy New Year!" she cried.
past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate
From this reading The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading _"Happy New Year!" she cried.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
the period during which something is functional (as between birth and death)
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
roused to anger
From this reading The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.
a particular point in time
From this reading The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading _"Happy New Year!" she cried.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.
many times at short intervals
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.
the sound of a bell ringing
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _"Happy New Year!" she cried.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
encouragement in the form of cheers from spectators
From this reading The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed the bells.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But how often should one hear it said in a single lifetime?_ Outside, bells were ringing.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading _"Happy New Year!" she cried.
Chapter 1 of Life Sentence by James V. McConnell holds 435 sentences, grouped into 87 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.
Chapter 1 holds 435 sentences of Life Sentence, unabridged, divided into 87 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Life Sentence by James V. McConnell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 435 sentences, grouped into 87 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 87 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 87 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 Life Sentence by James V. McConnell on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 435 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #29889 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #29889, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 36 minutes of reading across 87 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Life Sentence section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 1 chapters of Life Sentence 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 Life Sentence, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
