Chapter 1 of Nor Dust Corrupt is here in full — 464 sentences across 93 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Nor Dust Corrupt is here in full — 464 sentences across 93 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
_Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy. And Krieg was certainly rich enough to buy his way in. Valhalla was his. But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended. Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.
Chapter 1 of Nor Dust Corrupt is here in full — 464 sentences across 93 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/92 · 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.
the ritual placing of a corpse in a grave
obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading “And Krieg was certainly rich enough to buy his way in.”
a splendid assemblage (especially of famous people)
From this reading “_Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy.”
resulting from one's intentions
From this reading “But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.”
a large burial chamber, usually above ground
From this reading “But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.”
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading “Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.”
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading “Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.”
(Norse mythology) the hall in which the souls of heros slain in battle were received by Odin
From this reading “Valhalla was his.”
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.
In this reading “Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.”
In this reading “Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.”
In this reading “Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.”
used with question words to convey surprise
In this reading “_Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy.”
In this reading “And Krieg was certainly rich enough to buy his way in.”
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 But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And Krieg was certainly rich enough to buy his way in.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
the ritual placing of a corpse in a grave
From this reading _Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading And Krieg was certainly rich enough to buy his way in.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading And Krieg was certainly rich enough to buy his way in.
made or become different in nature or form
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading _Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading _Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading And Krieg was certainly rich enough to buy his way in.
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading _Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five
From this reading Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.
a splendid assemblage (especially of famous people)
From this reading _Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And Krieg was certainly rich enough to buy his way in.
ten 10s
From this reading Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy.
resulting from one's intentions
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Krieg was certainly rich enough to buy his way in.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.
a large burial chamber, usually above ground
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading _Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy.
by chance
From this reading Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.
a human being
From this reading _Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy.
possessing material wealth
From this reading And Krieg was certainly rich enough to buy his way in.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But he changed his mind...._ The room seemed more a mausoleum than an office, but that was as had been intended.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And Krieg was certainly rich enough to buy his way in.
(Norse mythology) the hall in which the souls of heros slain in battle were received by Odin
From this reading Valhalla was his.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _Burial on Earth was the dream of every person in the galaxy.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading And Krieg was certainly rich enough to buy his way in.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Perhaps thirty feet high, fifty feet wide, it stretched a good hundred feet in length.
Chapter 1 of Nor Dust Corrupt by James V. McConnell holds 464 sentences, grouped into 93 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 464 sentences of Nor Dust Corrupt, unabridged, divided into 93 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Nor Dust Corrupt by James V. McConnell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 464 sentences, grouped into 93 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 93 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 93 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 Nor Dust Corrupt by James V. McConnell on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 464 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #59703 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #59703, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 38 minutes of reading across 93 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Nor Dust Corrupt section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 1 chapters of Nor Dust Corrupt 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 Nor Dust Corrupt, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
