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Notes on Life & Letters
Notes on Life & Letters

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Notes on Life & Letters is here in full — 60 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 5/12 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.
I didn't want to do it, God knows!
Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.
Well, yes!
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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.

Notes on Life & Letters

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Notes on Life & Letters is here in full — 60 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 5/12 · 5 reading units · Lines 21–25

Line 1
Line 2
I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.
Line 3
I didn't want to do it, God knows!
Line 4
Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.
/ðer ˈedɪtərz tuː huːm aɪ beɡ tuː ˈɔːfər maɪ θæŋks hiːr meɪd miː pərˈfɔːrm ˈmeɪnli baɪ ˈkaɪndnəs bʌt ˈpɑːrtli baɪ ˈbraɪbəri/
Line 5
Well, yes!
/wel jes/

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.

bribery noun US /ˈbraɪbəri/

the practice of offering something (usually money) in order to gain an illicit advantage

From this reading “Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.”

Editors noun US /ˈedɪtərz/

plural of “editor” — a person responsible for the editorial aspects of publication; the person who determines the final content of a text (especially of a newspaper or magazine)

From this reading “Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.”

emergency noun US /ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsi/

a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action

From this reading “I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.”

lute noun US /luːt/

a substance for packing a joint or coating a porous surface to make it impervious to gas or liquid

From this reading “I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.”

mainly adverb US /ˈmeɪnli/

for the most part

From this reading “Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.”

pensive adjective US /ˈpensɪv/

deeply or seriously thoughtful

From this reading “I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.”

periodicals noun US /ˌpɪriˈɑːdɪkəlz/

plural of “periodical” — a publication that appears at fixed intervals

From this reading “I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.”

trumpet verb US /ˈtrʌmpət/

proclaim on, or as if on, a trumpet

From this reading “I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.”

All words in this reading · 83

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

AmericannounUS /əˈmerəkən/

a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

begverbUS /beɡ/

call upon in supplication; entreat

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

blowverbUS /bloʊ/

exhale hard

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

boastverbUS /boʊst/

show off

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

booknounUS /bʊk/

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

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

bootsnounUS /buːts/

plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

briberynounUS /ˈbraɪbəri/

the practice of offering something (usually money) in order to gain an illicit advantage

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

dareverbUS /der/

take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

didn't

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

From this reading I didn't want to do it, God knows!

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading I didn't want to do it, God knows!

don't

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

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

EditorsnounUS /ˈedɪtərz/

plural of “editor” — a person responsible for the editorial aspects of publication; the person who determines the final content of a text (especially of a newspaper or magazine)

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

emergencynounUS /ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsi/

a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

generaladjectiveUS /ˈdʒenərəl/

applying to all or most members of a category or group

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading I didn't want to do it, God knows!

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I didn't want to do it, God knows!

kindnessnounUS /ˈkaɪndnəs/

the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

knowsnounUS /noʊz/

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading I didn't want to do it, God knows!

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

lutenounUS /luːt/

a substance for packing a joint or coating a porous surface to make it impervious to gas or liquid

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

mainlyadverbUS /ˈmeɪnli/

for the most part

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

mentionedverbUS /ˈmenʃənd/

past form of “mention” — make reference to

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

offerverbUS /ˈɔːfər/

make available or accessible, provide or furnish

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

opinionsnounUS /əˈpɪnjənz/

plural of “opinion” — a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

partlyadverbUS /ˈpɑːrtli/

to some extent; in some degree; not wholly

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

peacenounUS /piːs/

the state prevailing during the absence of war

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

pensiveadjectiveUS /ˈpensɪv/

deeply or seriously thoughtful

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

performverbUS /pərˈfɔːrm/

carry out or perform an action

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

periodicalsnounUS /ˌpɪriˈɑːdɪkəlz/

plural of “periodical” — a publication that appears at fixed intervals

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

personaladjectiveUS /ˈpɜːrsɪnəl/

concerning or affecting a particular person or his or her private life and personality

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

pullverbUS /pʊl/

cause to move by pulling

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

SouthnounUS /saʊθ/

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

speaksverbUS /spiːks/

third-person singular of “speak” — express in speech

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

strikeverbUS /straɪk/

deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

thanksnounUS /θæŋks/

an acknowledgment of appreciation

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

TheirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

trumpetverbUS /ˈtrʌmpət/

proclaim on, or as if on, a trumpet

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

usedadjectiveUS /juːzd/

employed in accomplishing something

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

variousadjectiveUS /ˈveriəs/

of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading I didn't want to do it, God knows!

warnounUS /wɔːr/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

WelladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Well, yes!

wheneverconjunctionUS /weˈnevər/

at any time that; every time that

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Their Editors, to whom I beg to offer my thanks here, made me perform mainly by kindness but partly by bribery.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I don't know whether I dare boast like a certain South American general who used to say that no emergency of war or peace had ever found him "with his boots off"; but I may say that whenever the various periodicals mentioned in this book called on me to come out and blow the trumpet of personal opinions or strike the pensive lute that speaks of the past, I always tried to pull on my boots first.

yesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading Well, yes!

Chapter 1 of Notes on Life & Letters by Joseph Conrad holds 60 sentences, grouped into 12 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 Notes on Life & Letters contain?

Chapter 1 holds 60 sentences of Notes on Life & Letters, unabridged, divided into 12 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Notes on Life & Letters by Joseph Conrad exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 60 sentences, grouped into 12 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 Notes on Life & Letters?

Work through the 12 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 12 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.

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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.

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Common questions about reading Notes on Life & Letters by Joseph Conrad on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Notes on Life & Letters?

Yes. All 3415 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1143 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Notes on Life & Letters is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1143, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Notes on Life & Letters take to read?

About 284 minutes of reading across 683 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through Notes on Life & Letters section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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Vocabulary met early in Notes on Life & Letters

Words and structures a reader meets early in Notes on Life & Letters, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Don't
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Notes on Life & Letters; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Whether
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Notes on Life & Letters; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ought
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Notes on Life & Letters; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Offer
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Notes on Life & Letters; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.