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Mary Jane's City Home
Mary Jane's City Home

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Mary Jane's City Home is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Mary Jane's City Home
Context Illustration Reading 1/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.
Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188
The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.
"And all that wiggly line is water?"
Mary Jane was asking.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Mary Jane's City Home

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Mary Jane's City Home is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.
Line 2
Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188
Line 3
The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.
Line 4
"And all that wiggly line is water?"
/ənd ɔːl ðæt ˈwɪɡəli laɪn ɪz ˈwɔːtər/
Line 5
Mary Jane was asking.

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.

Fairies noun US /ˈferiz/

plural of “fairy” — a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers

From this reading “Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.”

Junior noun US /ˈdʒuːnjər/

term of address for a disrespectful and annoying male

From this reading “Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.”

map verb US /mæp/

make a map of; show or establish the features of details of

From this reading “The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.”

Pullman noun US /ˈpʊlmən/

luxurious passenger car; for day or night travel

From this reading “The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.”

ripples noun US /ˈrɪpəlz/

plural of “ripple” — a small wave on the surface of a liquid

From this reading “Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188”

slanting adjective US /ˈslæntɪŋ/

having an oblique or slanted direction

From this reading “The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.”

sliding adjective US /ˈslaɪdɪŋ/

being a smooth continuous motion

From this reading “Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188”

wiggly adjective US /ˈwɪɡəli/

curved or curving in and out

From this reading “"And all that wiggly line is water?"”

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.

wet sand adjective + noun

In this reading “Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188”

golden rays adjective + noun counted as “golden ray”

In this reading “The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.”

late afternoon adjective + noun

In this reading “The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.”

spread out verb + adjective

move outward

In this reading “The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.”

afternoon sunshine noun + noun

In this reading “The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.”

on the table preposition + article + noun counted as “on … table”

able to be negotiated or arranged by compromise

In this reading “The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.”

on the top preposition + article + noun counted as “on … top”

In this reading “Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188”

car windows noun + noun

In this reading “The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.”

All words in this reading · 106

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.

107

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

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

188

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

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

60

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

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

Alice

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

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

allowedverbUS /əˈlaʊd/

past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

askingnounUS /ˈæskɪŋ/

the verbal act of requesting

From this reading Mary Jane was asking.

AuthornounUS /ˈɔːθər/

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

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

BednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

BillynounUS /ˈbɪli/

a short stout club used primarily by policemen

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

bitnounUS /bɪt/

a small piece or quantity of something

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

BooknounUS /bʊk/

a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

carnounUS /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

castlenounUS /ˈkæsəl/

a large and stately mansion

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

CookverbUS /kʊk/

prepare a hot meal

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

cryverbUS /kraɪ/

utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

dressverbUS /dres/

put on clothes

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

FairiesnounUS /ˈferiz/

plural of “fairy” — a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

FlowernounUS /ˈflaʊər/

a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

Frontispiecenoun

an ornamental facade

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/

coins made of gold

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

goldenadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊldən/

having the deep slightly brownish color of gold

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

Good-Night

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

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "And all that wiggly line is water?"

it's

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

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

Jane

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

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

JuniornounUS /ˈdʒuːnjər/

term of address for a disrespectful and annoying male

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

lakenounUS /leɪk/

a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

linenounUS /laɪn/

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading "And all that wiggly line is water?"

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

mapverbUS /mæp/

make a map of; show or establish the features of details of

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

MarynounUS /ˈmeri/

the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

NeighborsnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/

plural of “neighbor” — a person who lives (or is located) near another

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

OtheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

personnounUS /ˈpɜːrsən/

a human being

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

pointedadjectiveUS /ˈpɔɪntɪd/

having a point

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

PullmannounUS /ˈpʊlmən/

luxurious passenger car; for day or night travel

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

raysnounUS /reɪz/

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

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

ridingnounUS /ˈraɪdɪŋ/

the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

ripplesnounUS /ˈrɪpəlz/

plural of “ripple” — a small wave on the surface of a liquid

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

RobinnounUS /ˈrɑːbən/

small Old World songbird with a reddish breast

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

sandnounUS /sænd/

a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

sealverbUS /siːl/

make tight; secure against leakage

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

seatsnounUS /siːts/

an area that includes places where several people can sit

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

seeingnounUS /ˈsiːɪŋ/

perception by means of the eyes

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

sisternounUS /ˈsɪstər/

a female person who has the same parents as another person

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

slantingadjectiveUS /ˈslæntɪŋ/

having an oblique or slanted direction

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

slidingadjectiveUS /ˈslaɪdɪŋ/

being a smooth continuous motion

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

slowadjectiveUS /sloʊ/

not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

spreadverbUS /spred/

distribute or disperse widely

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

starnounUS /stɑːr/

(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

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 "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

sunshinenounUS /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/

the rays of the sun

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

TalesnounUS /teɪlz/

plural of “tale” — 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 "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

TimenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

topnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

treenounUS /triː/

a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

tryingadjectiveUS /ˈtraɪɪŋ/

hard to endure

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading "And all that wiggly line is water?"

wavenounUS /weɪv/

one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

wetadjectiveUS /wet/

covered or soaked with a liquid such as water

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

wigglyadjectiveUS /ˈwɪɡəli/

curved or curving in and out

From this reading "And all that wiggly line is water?"

windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading The late afternoon sunshine sent its slanting, golden rays through the car windows on to the map that Mary Jane and her sister Alice had spread out on the table between the seats of the Pullman in which they were riding.

WorksnounUS /wɜːrks/

buildings for carrying on industrial labor

From this reading Author of "Flower Fairies," "Good-Night Stories," "Billy Robin and His Neighbors," "Bed Time Tales," "The Junior Cook Book," and Other Works And she pointed out the little seal who was a bit too slow.

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading Frontispiece And then, sliding in the wet sand, she sat right down in the lake and sent a wave of ripples right over her castle 60 "But it's all down my dress," said Mary Jane, trying her very best not to cry 107 This year, seeing Mary Jane was such a _very_ old person, she was allowed to put the gold star on the top of the tree 188

Chapter 1 of Mary Jane's City Home by Clara Ingram Judson holds 420 sentences, grouped into 84 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 Mary Jane's City Home contain?

Chapter 1 holds 420 sentences of Mary Jane's City Home, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Mary Jane's City Home by Clara Ingram Judson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 420 sentences, grouped into 84 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 Mary Jane's City Home?

Work through the 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 84 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 Mary Jane's City Home

Common questions about reading Mary Jane's City Home by Clara Ingram Judson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mary Jane's City Home?

Yes. All 1647 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26517 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mary Jane's City Home is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #26517, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mary Jane's City Home take to read?

About 137 minutes of reading across 330 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mary Jane's City Home section by section

How to work through Mary Jane's City Home section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 4 chapters of Mary Jane's City Home 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 Mary Jane's City Home

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mary Jane's City Home, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mary Jane's City Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Flower
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mary Jane's City Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fairies
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mary Jane's City Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Good-night
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mary Jane's City Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.