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Perseverance Island
Perseverance Island

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Perseverance Island is here in full — 8 sentences across 2 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Perseverance Island
Context Illustration Reading 1/1 · 8 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 8
Improve my lamp-tower.
Make a bow and arrow, and fish-hooks and lines.
Capture a large turtle.
Improve my steel and flint, and build a hut.
Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.
65 Rainy day.
Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.
Make a pocket compass, and prepare for my exploration of the island. 73
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Perseverance Island

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Perseverance Island is here in full — 8 sentences across 2 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/1 · 8 reading units · Lines 1–8

Line 1
Improve my lamp-tower.
Line 2
Make a bow and arrow, and fish-hooks and lines.
Line 3
Capture a large turtle.
/ˈkæptʃər ə lɑːrdʒ ˈtɜːrtəl/
Line 4
Improve my steel and flint, and build a hut.
/ˌɪmˈpruːv maɪ stiːl ənd flɪnt ənd bɪld ə hʌt/
Line 5
Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.
/proʊˈkjʊr sʌm sɔːlt ənd meɪk ərˈeɪndʒmənts tuː ɪkˈsplɔːr ðə ˈaɪlənd ɑːn ðə ˈmɑːroʊ/
Line 6
65 Rainy day.
Line 7
Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.
Line 8
Make a pocket compass, and prepare for my exploration of the island. 73

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.

exploration noun US /ˌeksplərˈeɪʃən/

to travel for the purpose of discovery

From this reading “Make a pocket compass, and prepare for my exploration of the island. 73”

explore verb US /ɪkˈsplɔːr/

inquire into

From this reading “Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.”

flint noun US /flɪnt/

a hard kind of stone; a form of silica more opaque than chalcedony

From this reading “Improve my steel and flint, and build a hut.”

Rainy adjective US /ˈreɪni/

(of weather) wet by periods of rain

From this reading “65 Rainy day.”

seeds noun US /siːdz/

plural of “seed” — a small hard fruit

From this reading “Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.”

tides noun US /taɪdz/

plural of “tide” — the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon

From this reading “Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.”

turtle noun US /ˈtɜːrtəl/

a sweater or jersey with a high close-fitting collar

From this reading “Capture a large turtle.”

varieties noun US /vərˈaɪətiz/

plural of “variety” — a collection containing a variety of sorts of things

From this reading “Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.”

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.

Rainy day adjective + noun

a (future) time of financial need

In this reading “65 Rainy day.”

pocket compass noun + noun

In this reading “Make a pocket compass, and prepare for my exploration of the island. 73”

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

In this reading “Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.”

explore the island verb + article + noun counted as “explore … island”

In this reading “Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.”

make arrangements verb + noun counted as “make arrangement”

In this reading “Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.”

prepare for verb + particle

prepare mentally or emotionally for something unpleasant

In this reading “Make a pocket compass, and prepare for my exploration of the island. 73”

All words in this reading · 48

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.

65

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

From this reading 65 Rainy day.

73

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

From this reading Make a pocket compass, and prepare for my exploration of the island. 73

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading Make a bow and arrow, and fish-hooks and lines.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Make a bow and arrow, and fish-hooks and lines.

arrangementsnounUS /ərˈeɪndʒmənts/

plural of “arrangement” — the thing arranged or agreed to

From this reading Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.

arrownounUS /ˈæroʊ/

a mark to indicate a direction or relation

From this reading Make a bow and arrow, and fish-hooks and lines.

bownounUS /baʊ/

a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces

From this reading Make a bow and arrow, and fish-hooks and lines.

buildverbUS /bɪld/

make by combining materials and parts

From this reading Improve my steel and flint, and build a hut.

CaptureverbUS /ˈkæptʃər/

succeed in representing or expressing something intangible

From this reading Capture a large turtle.

climatenounUS /ˈklaɪmət/

the weather in some location averaged over some long period of time

From this reading Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.

compassnounUS /ˈkʌmpəs/

navigational instrument for finding directions

From this reading Make a pocket compass, and prepare for my exploration of the island. 73

concerningverbUS /kənˈsɜːrnɪŋ/

-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to

From this reading Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading 65 Rainy day.

etc

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

From this reading Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.

explorationnounUS /ˌeksplərˈeɪʃən/

to travel for the purpose of discovery

From this reading Make a pocket compass, and prepare for my exploration of the island. 73

exploreverbUS /ɪkˈsplɔːr/

inquire into

From this reading Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.

fish-hooks

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

From this reading Make a bow and arrow, and fish-hooks and lines.

flintnounUS /flɪnt/

a hard kind of stone; a form of silica more opaque than chalcedony

From this reading Improve my steel and flint, and build a hut.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Make a pocket compass, and prepare for my exploration of the island. 73

hutnounUS /hʌt/

temporary military shelter

From this reading Improve my steel and flint, and build a hut.

ImproveverbUS /ˌɪmˈpruːv/

to make better

From this reading Improve my lamp-tower.

islandnounUS /ˈaɪlənd/

a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

From this reading Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.

lamp-tower

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

From this reading Improve my lamp-tower.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Capture a large turtle.

linesnounUS /laɪnz/

plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading Make a bow and arrow, and fish-hooks and lines.

MakeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Make a bow and arrow, and fish-hooks and lines.

morrownounUS /ˈmɑːroʊ/

the next day

From this reading Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Improve my lamp-tower.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.

PlantverbUS /plænt/

put or set (seeds, seedlings, or plants) into the ground

From this reading Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.

pocketnounUS /ˈpɑːkət/

a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles

From this reading Make a pocket compass, and prepare for my exploration of the island. 73

prepareverbUS /priˈper/

make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc

From this reading Make a pocket compass, and prepare for my exploration of the island. 73

ProcureverbUS /proʊˈkjʊr/

get by special effort

From this reading Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.

RainyadjectiveUS /ˈreɪni/

(of weather) wet by periods of rain

From this reading 65 Rainy day.

ReflectionsnounUS /rɪˈflekʃənz/

plural of “reflection” — a calm, lengthy, intent consideration

From this reading Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.

saltnounUS /sɔːlt/

a compound formed by replacing hydrogen in an acid by a metal (or a radical that acts like a metal)

From this reading Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.

seasonnounUS /ˈsiːzən/

a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field

From this reading Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.

seedsnounUS /siːdz/

plural of “seed” — a small hard fruit

From this reading Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.

severaladjectiveUS /ˈsevrəl/

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.

steelnounUS /stiːl/

an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range

From this reading Improve my steel and flint, and build a hut.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.

tidesnounUS /taɪdz/

plural of “tide” — the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon

From this reading Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Procure some salt, and make arrangements to explore the island on the morrow.

turtlenounUS /ˈtɜːrtəl/

a sweater or jersey with a high close-fitting collar

From this reading Capture a large turtle.

varietiesnounUS /vərˈaɪətiz/

plural of “variety” — a collection containing a variety of sorts of things

From this reading Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading Reflections concerning climate, season of the year, tides, etc. Plant several varieties of my seeds.

Chapter 1 of Perseverance Island by Douglas Frazar holds 8 sentences, grouped into 2 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 Perseverance Island contain?

Chapter 1 holds 8 sentences of Perseverance Island, unabridged, divided into 2 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Perseverance Island by Douglas Frazar exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 8 sentences, grouped into 2 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 Perseverance Island?

Work through the 2 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 2 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Perseverance Island

Common questions about reading Perseverance Island by Douglas Frazar on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Perseverance Island?

Yes. All 2921 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #46128 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Perseverance Island is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #46128, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Perseverance Island take to read?

About 243 minutes of reading across 585 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Perseverance Island section by section

How to work through Perseverance Island section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 27 chapters of Perseverance Island to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Perseverance Island

Words and structures a reader meets early in Perseverance Island, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Improve
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Perseverance Island; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lamp-tower
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Perseverance Island; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Arrow
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Perseverance Island; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fish-hooks
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Perseverance Island; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.