Chapter 1 of Pelham — Volume 01 is here in full — 40 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Pelham — Volume 01 is here in full — 40 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Ou peut-on etre mieux qu'au sein de sa famille? --French Song. [Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?] I am an only child. My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
Chapter 1 of Pelham — Volume 01 is here in full — 40 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/8 · 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 chest considered as the place where secret thoughts are kept
From this reading “[Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?]”
plural of “earl” — a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
From this reading “My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.”
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading “--French Song.”
superlative of “old” — (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading “My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.”
a person who is of equal standing with another in a group
From this reading “My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.”
a slight surface cut (especially a notch that is made to keep a tally)
From this reading “My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.”
a short musical composition with words
From this reading “--French Song.”
used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father
From this reading “My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.”
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 My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading I am an only child.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading I am an only child.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading [Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?]
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading [Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?]
the chest considered as the place where secret thoughts are kept
From this reading [Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?]
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading [Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?]
a young person of either sex
From this reading I am an only child.
a female human offspring
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading Ou peut-on etre mieux qu'au sein de sa famille?
lacking a dowry
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
plural of “earl” — a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ou peut-on etre mieux qu'au sein de sa famille?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ou peut-on etre mieux qu'au sein de sa famille?
a social unit living together
From this reading [Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?]
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading --French Song.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I am an only child.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading [Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?]
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ou peut-on etre mieux qu'au sein de sa famille?
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading [Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?]
superlative of “old” — (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading [Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?]
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?]
and nothing more
From this reading I am an only child.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ou peut-on etre mieux qu'au sein de sa famille?
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
a person who is of equal standing with another in a group
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ou peut-on etre mieux qu'au sein de sa famille?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ou peut-on etre mieux qu'au sein de sa famille?
Nazi militia created by Hitler in 1921 that helped him to power but was eclipsed by the SS after 1943
From this reading Ou peut-on etre mieux qu'au sein de sa famille?
a slight surface cut (especially a notch that is made to keep a tally)
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ou peut-on etre mieux qu'au sein de sa famille?
a male human offspring
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
a short musical composition with words
From this reading --French Song.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading [Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?]
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading [Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?]
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
in or at the place that
From this reading [Where can on be better than in the bosom of one's family?]
used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father
From this reading My father was the younger son of one of our oldest earls; my mother the dowerless daughter of a Scotch peer.
Chapter 1 of Pelham — Volume 01 by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton holds 40 sentences, grouped into 8 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 40 sentences of Pelham — Volume 01, unabridged, divided into 8 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Pelham — Volume 01 by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 40 sentences, grouped into 8 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 8 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 8 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 Pelham — Volume 01 by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 958 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #7615 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #7615, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 79 minutes of reading across 192 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Pelham — Volume 01 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 18 chapters of Pelham — Volume 01 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 Pelham — Volume 01, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
