Chapter 1 of Little Bobtail is here in full — 243 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Little Bobtail is here in full — 243 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE YACHT CLUB SERIES. THE WRECK OF THE PENOBSCOT. AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC. _WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS._ NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM. 1875.
Chapter 1 of Little Bobtail is here in full — 243 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/48 · 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 “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive
From this reading “_WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS._ NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM.”
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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.”
a member of the Algonquian people belonging to the Abnaki confederacy and living in the Penobscot valley in northern Maine
From this reading “THE WRECK OF THE PENOBSCOT.”
United States author of surrealistic allegorical plays (born in 1943)
From this reading “_WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS._ NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM.”
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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.”
the cardinal number that is the sum of twelve and one
From this reading “_WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS._ NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM.”
something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
From this reading “THE WRECK OF THE PENOBSCOT.”
an expensive vessel propelled by sail or power and used for cruising or racing
From this reading “THE YACHT CLUB SERIES.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 1875.
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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together
From this reading THE YACHT CLUB SERIES.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS._ NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM.
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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive
From this reading _WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS._ NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading _WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS._ NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM.
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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading _WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS._ NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE WRECK OF THE PENOBSCOT.
a member of the Algonquian people belonging to the Abnaki confederacy and living in the Penobscot valley in northern Maine
From this reading THE WRECK OF THE PENOBSCOT.
similar things placed in order or happening one after another
From this reading THE YACHT CLUB SERIES.
United States author of surrealistic allegorical plays (born in 1943)
From this reading _WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS._ NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE YACHT CLUB SERIES.
the cardinal number that is the sum of twelve and one
From this reading _WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS._ NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM.
in the company of; together with
From this reading _WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS._ NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM.
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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
From this reading THE WRECK OF THE PENOBSCOT.
an expensive vessel propelled by sail or power and used for cruising or racing
From this reading THE YACHT CLUB SERIES.
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading _WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS._ NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM.
(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," "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES," ETC.
Chapter 1 of Little Bobtail by Oliver Optic holds 243 sentences, grouped into 49 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 243 sentences of Little Bobtail, unabridged, divided into 49 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Little Bobtail by Oliver Optic exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 243 sentences, grouped into 49 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 49 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 49 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 Little Bobtail by Oliver Optic on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3946 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #25466 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #25466, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 328 minutes of reading across 790 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Little Bobtail section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 18 chapters of Little Bobtail 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 Little Bobtail, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
