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Lightning Express
Lightning Express

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Lightning Express is here in full — 110 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Oliver Optic • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Lightning Express
Context Illustration Reading 1/22 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_THE LAKE SHORE SERIES._ THE RIVAL ACADEMIES.
AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.
ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, NO.
19 SPRING LANE.
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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.

Lightning Express

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Lightning Express is here in full — 110 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/22 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_THE LAKE SHORE SERIES._ THE RIVAL ACADEMIES.
/ðə leɪk ʃɔːr ˈsɪriz ðə ˈraɪvəl əˈkædəmiz/
Line 2
AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.
Line 3
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.
Line 4
ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, NO.
Line 5
19 SPRING LANE.

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.

academies noun US /əˈkædəmiz/

plural of “academy” — a secondary school (usually private)

From this reading “_THE LAKE SHORE SERIES._ THE RIVAL ACADEMIES.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
adams noun US /ˈædəmz/

American Revolutionary leader and patriot; an organizer of the Boston Tea Party and signer of the Declaration of Independence (1722-1803)

From this reading “Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Clerk's noun US /klɜːrks/

possessive form of “clerk” — an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Congress noun US /ˈkɑːŋɡrəs/

the legislature of the United States government

From this reading “Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
foundry noun US /ˈfaʊndri/

factory where metal castings are produced

From this reading “ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, NO.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Massachusetts noun US /ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsəts/

a state in New England; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading “Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
starry adjective US /ˈstɑːriː/

abounding with or resembling stars

From this reading “AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stereotype noun US /ˈsteriətaɪp/

a conventional or formulaic conception or image

From this reading “ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, NO.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

LAKE SHORE noun + noun

In this reading “_THE LAKE SHORE SERIES._ THE RIVAL ACADEMIES.”

916 times in 426,211 chapters
Act of verb + particle

In this reading “Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.”

28,018 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 46

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.

1869

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

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

Pending verification
19

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

From this reading 19 SPRING LANE.

Pending verification
ABROADadverbUS /əˈbrɔːd/

to or in a foreign country

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ACADEMIESnounUS /əˈkædəmiz/

plural of “academy” — a secondary school (usually private)

From this reading _THE LAKE SHORE SERIES._ THE RIVAL ACADEMIES.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
accordingadjectiveUS /əˈkɔːrdɪŋ/

(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ActverbUS /ækt/

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ADAMSnounUS /ˈædəmz/

American Revolutionary leader and patriot; an organizer of the Boston Tea Party and signer of the Declaration of Independence (1722-1803)

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
AMERICAnounUS /əˈmerəkə/

North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ARMYnounUS /ˈɑːrmi/

a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, NO.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AUTHORnounUS /ˈɔːθər/

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BOAT-CLUB

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

Pending verification
BOSTONnounUS /ˈbɑːstən/

state capital and largest city of Massachusetts; a major center for banking and financial services

From this reading ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, NO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Clerk'snounUS /klɜːrks/

possessive form of “clerk” — an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CongressnounUS /ˈkɑːŋɡrəs/

the legislature of the United States government

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CourtnounUS /kɔːrt/

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

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DistrictnounUS /ˈdɪstrɪkt/

a region marked off for administrative or other purposes

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ELECTROTYPED

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

From this reading ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, NO.

Pending verification
EnteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ETC

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

Pending verification
FLAGnounUS /flæɡ/

emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FOUNDRYnounUS /ˈfaʊndri/

factory where metal castings are produced

From this reading ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, NO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
LAKEnounUS /leɪk/

a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land

From this reading _THE LAKE SHORE SERIES._ THE RIVAL ACADEMIES.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LANEnounUS /leɪn/

a narrow way or road

From this reading 19 SPRING LANE.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MassachusettsnounUS /ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsəts/

a state in New England; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NAVYnounUS /ˈneɪvi/

an organization of military vessels belonging to a country and available for sea warfare

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NOdeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, NO.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OfficenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
RIVALverbUS /ˈraɪvəl/

be equal to in quality or ability

From this reading _THE LAKE SHORE SERIES._ THE RIVAL ACADEMIES.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SERIESnounUS /ˈsɪriz/

similar things placed in order or happening one after another

From this reading _THE LAKE SHORE SERIES._ THE RIVAL ACADEMIES.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SHOREnounUS /ʃɔːr/

the land along the edge of a body of water

From this reading _THE LAKE SHORE SERIES._ THE RIVAL ACADEMIES.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SPRINGnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading 19 SPRING LANE.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
STARRYadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːriː/

abounding with or resembling stars

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
STEREOTYPEnounUS /ˈsteriətaɪp/

a conventional or formulaic conception or image

From this reading ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, NO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
STORIESnounUS /ˈstɔːriz/

plural of “story” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TnounUS /tiː/

a base found in DNA (but not in RNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _THE LAKE SHORE SERIES._ THE RIVAL ACADEMIES.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WILLIAM

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

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

Pending verification
WOODVILLE

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

Pending verification
yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
YOUNGadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading AUTHOR OF “YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD,” “THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,” “THE WOODVILLE STORIES,” “THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES,” “THE STARRY FLAG SERIES,” ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 1 of Lightning Express by Oliver Optic holds 110 sentences, grouped into 22 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 Lightning Express contain?

Chapter 1 holds 110 sentences of Lightning Express, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Lightning Express by Oliver Optic exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 110 sentences, grouped into 22 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 Lightning Express?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 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 Lightning Express

Common questions about reading Lightning Express by Oliver Optic on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Lightning Express?

Yes. All 3354 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #76892 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Lightning Express is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #76892, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Lightning Express take to read?

About 279 minutes of reading across 671 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Lightning Express section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of Lightning Express 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 Lightning Express

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

Shore
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lightning Express; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Series
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lightning Express; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rival
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lightning Express; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Academies
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lightning Express; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.