Chapter 2 of Peter Trawl is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Peter Trawl is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man. "But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?" I could not answer, but kept repeating to myself, "Gone! Gone! Father gone!" as Tom led me on to the house.
Chapter 2 of Peter Trawl is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/84 · 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.
react verbally
From this reading “I could not answer, but kept repeating to myself, "Gone!”
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading “I could not answer, but kept repeating to myself, "Gone!”
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 “Father gone!" as Tom led me on to the house.”
a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle
From this reading “"I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.”
despite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)
From this reading “"But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?"”
the act of doing or performing again
From this reading “I could not answer, but kept repeating to myself, "Gone!”
comparatives of “soon” or “early”
From this reading “"I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.”
male cat
From this reading “Father gone!" as Tom led me on to the house.”
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 to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?"
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
react verbally
From this reading I could not answer, but kept repeating to myself, "Gone!
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?"
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Father gone!" as Tom led me on to the house.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?"
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?"
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I could not answer, but kept repeating to myself, "Gone!
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Father gone!" as Tom led me on to the house.
destroyed or killed
From this reading I could not answer, but kept repeating to myself, "Gone!
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Father gone!" as Tom led me on to the house.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I could not answer, but kept repeating to myself, "Gone!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading I could not answer, but kept repeating to myself, "Gone!
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 Father gone!" as Tom led me on to the house.
a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Father gone!" as Tom led me on to the house.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading "But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?"
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?"
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I could not answer, but kept repeating to myself, "Gone!
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I could not answer, but kept repeating to myself, "Gone!
despite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)
From this reading "But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?"
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?"
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Father gone!" as Tom led me on to the house.
the act of doing or performing again
From this reading I could not answer, but kept repeating to myself, "Gone!
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?"
express in words
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
comparatives of “soon” or “early”
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
express in words
From this reading "But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?"
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I'd sooner have lost another leg than have to say it," answered the old man.
male cat
From this reading Father gone!" as Tom led me on to the house.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "But it must be said notwithstanding, and now how are we to tell mother?"
Chapter 2 of Peter Trawl by William Henry Giles Kingston holds 420 sentences, grouped into 84 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 2 holds 420 sentences of Peter Trawl, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Peter Trawl by William Henry Giles Kingston exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 420 sentences, grouped into 84 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 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 84 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 2 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 Peter Trawl by William Henry Giles Kingston on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5547 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21475 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21475, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 462 minutes of reading across 1110 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Peter Trawl section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 13 chapters of Peter Trawl 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 Peter Trawl, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
