Chapter 1 of Martha of California is here in full — 624 sentences across 125 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Martha of California is here in full — 624 sentences across 125 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=. =ANTOINE OF OREGON=: A STORY OF THE OREGON TRAIL. =BENJAMIN OF OHIO=: A STORY OF THE SETTLEMENT OF MARIETTA. =HANNAH OF KENTUCKY=: A STORY OF THE WILDERNESS ROAD. =MARTHA OF CALIFORNIA=: A STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA TRAIL.
Chapter 1 of Martha of California is here in full — 624 sentences across 125 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/124 · 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.
gum resin used especially in treating skin irritation
From this reading “=BENJAMIN OF OHIO=: A STORY OF THE SETTLEMENT OF MARIETTA.”
a state in the western United States on the Pacific; the 3rd largest state; known for earthquakes
From this reading “=MARTHA OF CALIFORNIA=: A STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA TRAIL.”
past form of “denote” — be a sign or indication of
From this reading “Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.”
a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right
From this reading “Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.”
a state in east central United States; a border state during the American Civil War; famous for breeding race horses
From this reading “=HANNAH OF KENTUCKY=: A STORY OF THE WILDERNESS ROAD.”
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading “=BENJAMIN OF OHIO=: A STORY OF THE SETTLEMENT OF MARIETTA.”
a state in northwestern United States on the Pacific
From this reading “=ANTOINE OF OREGON=: A STORY OF THE OREGON TRAIL.”
plural of “underscore” — a line drawn underneath (especially under written matter)
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.
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 =ANTOINE OF OREGON=: A STORY OF THE OREGON TRAIL.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading =ANTOINE OF OREGON=: A STORY OF THE OREGON TRAIL.
gum resin used especially in treating skin irritation
From this reading =BENJAMIN OF OHIO=: A STORY OF THE SETTLEMENT OF MARIETTA.
fearless and daring
From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.
a state in the western United States on the Pacific; the 3rd largest state; known for earthquakes
From this reading =MARTHA OF CALIFORNIA=: A STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA TRAIL.
past form of “denote” — be a sign or indication of
From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.
be identical or equivalent to
From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading =HANNAH OF KENTUCKY=: A STORY OF THE WILDERNESS ROAD.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.
a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right
From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.
a state in east central United States; a border state during the American Civil War; famous for breeding race horses
From this reading =HANNAH OF KENTUCKY=: A STORY OF THE WILDERNESS ROAD.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading =BENJAMIN OF OHIO=: A STORY OF THE SETTLEMENT OF MARIETTA.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading =MARTHA OF CALIFORNIA=: A STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA TRAIL.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading =ANTOINE OF OREGON=: A STORY OF THE OREGON TRAIL.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading =BENJAMIN OF OHIO=: A STORY OF THE SETTLEMENT OF MARIETTA.
a state in northwestern United States on the Pacific
From this reading =ANTOINE OF OREGON=: A STORY OF THE OREGON TRAIL.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading =HANNAH OF KENTUCKY=: A STORY OF THE WILDERNESS ROAD.
a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
From this reading =BENJAMIN OF OHIO=: A STORY OF THE SETTLEMENT OF MARIETTA.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.
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 =ANTOINE OF OREGON=: A STORY OF THE OREGON TRAIL.
the words of something written
From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading =ANTOINE OF OREGON=: A STORY OF THE OREGON TRAIL.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading =ANTOINE OF OREGON=: A STORY OF THE OREGON TRAIL.
plural of “underscore” — a line drawn underneath (especially under written matter)
From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading =HANNAH OF KENTUCKY=: A STORY OF THE WILDERNESS ROAD.
Chapter 1 of Martha of California by James Otis holds 624 sentences, grouped into 125 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 624 sentences of Martha of California, unabridged, divided into 125 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Martha of California by James Otis exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 624 sentences, grouped into 125 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 125 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 125 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 Martha of California by James Otis on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 624 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #44600 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #44600, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 52 minutes of reading across 125 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Martha of California section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 1 chapters of Martha of California 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 Martha of California, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
