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New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million
New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million is here in full — 143 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By George Lippard • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million
Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"JOANNA."
At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.
A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.
His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.
He held a carpet-bag in his hand.
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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.

New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million is here in full — 143 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"JOANNA."
Line 2
At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.
Line 3
A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.
/ə ˈdʒentəlmən ʌv ˌɪˈmens welθ huː ˈɑːkjəpaɪd hɪz oʊn ˈmænʃən ɪn ðə ˈʌpər pɑːrt ʌv nuː jɔːrk keɪm frʌm hɪz ˈlaɪbreriː ənd dɪˈsendəd ðə brɔːd ˈsterkeɪs wɪtʃ led tuː ðə fɜːrst flɔːr ʌv hɪz ˈmænʃən/
Line 4
His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.
/hɪz slaɪt freɪm wɑːz ræpt ɪn ə ˈtrævəlɪŋ kloʊk ənd ə ɡeɪ ˈtrævəlɪŋ kæp ˈʃeɪdɪd hɪz ˈfiːtʃərz/
Line 5
He held a carpet-bag in his hand.

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.

cloak noun US /kloʊk/

anything that covers or conceals

From this reading “His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
December noun US /dɪˈsembər/

the last (12th) month of the year

From this reading “At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
immense adjective US /ˌɪˈmens/

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading “A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mansion noun US /ˈmænʃən/

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

From this reading “A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shaded adjective US /ˈʃeɪdɪd/

protected from heat and light with shade or shadow

From this reading “His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
staircase noun US /ˈsterkeɪs/

a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps

From this reading “A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
traveling noun US /ˈtrævəlɪŋ/

the act of going from one place to another

From this reading “His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wrapped adjective US /ræpt/

covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak

From this reading “His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.”

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.

broad staircase adjective + noun

In this reading “A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.”

373 times in 426,211 chapters
immense wealth adjective + noun

In this reading “A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.”

386 times in 426,211 chapters
upper part adjective + noun

In this reading “A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.”

3,522 times in 426,211 chapters
first floor adjective + noun

the floor of a building that is at or nearest to the level of the ground around the building

In this reading “A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.”

3,591 times in 426,211 chapters
came from verb + particle counted as “come from”

In this reading “A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.”

89,230 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 53

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.

1844

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

From this reading At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.

Pending verification
23

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

From this reading At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.

Pending verification
AdeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
broadadjectiveUS /brɔːd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
capnounUS /kæp/

a tight-fitting headdress

From this reading His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
carpet-bag

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

From this reading He held a carpet-bag in his hand.

Pending verification
cloaknounUS /kloʊk/

anything that covers or conceals

From this reading His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dnounUS /diː/

a fat-soluble vitamin that prevents rickets

From this reading At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/

the last (12th) month of the year

From this reading At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
descendedverbUS /dɪˈsendəd/

past form of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
elevenadjectiveUS /ɪˈlevən/

being one more than ten

From this reading At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
featuresnounUS /ˈfiːtʃərz/

plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something

From this reading His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
frameverbUS /freɪm/

enclose in or as if in a frame

From this reading His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
gayadjectiveUS /ɡeɪ/

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gentlemannounUS /ˈdʒentəlmən/

a man of refinement

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading He held a carpet-bag in his hand.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He held a carpet-bag in his hand.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading He held a carpet-bag in his hand.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
immenseadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmens/

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
JOANNA

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

From this reading "JOANNA."

Pending verification
lednounUS /led/

diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
librarynounUS /ˈlaɪbreriː/

a room where books are kept

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mansionnounUS /ˈmænʃən/

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
occupiedadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪd/

held or filled or in use

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shadedadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪdɪd/

protected from heat and light with shade or shadow

From this reading His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
slightnounUS /slaɪt/

a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)

From this reading His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
staircasenounUS /ˈsterkeɪs/

a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

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 At the hour of eleven o'clock, on the night of December 23d, 1844, ----.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
travelingnounUS /ˈtrævəlɪŋ/

the act of going from one place to another

From this reading His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
upperadjectiveUS /ˈʌpər/

the topmost one of two

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wealthnounUS /welθ/

the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wrappedadjectiveUS /ræpt/

covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak

From this reading His slight frame was wrapped in a traveling cloak and a gay traveling cap shaded his features.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
YorknounUS /jɔːrk/

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 A gentleman of immense wealth, who occupied his own mansion, in the upper part of New York, came from his library, and descended the broad staircase, which led to the first floor of his mansion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 12 of New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million by George Lippard holds 143 sentences, grouped into 29 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 12 of New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million contain?

Chapter 12 holds 143 sentences of New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million by George Lippard exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 143 sentences, grouped into 29 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 12 of New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million?

Work through the 29 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 29 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #57785, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

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Vocabulary met early in New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million

Words and structures a reader meets early in New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Upper
A word that appears in the opening chapter of New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lower
A word that appears in the opening chapter of New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Million
A word that appears in the opening chapter of New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
George
A word that appears in the opening chapter of New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.