Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Pioneers
Pioneers

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Pioneers is here in full — 348 sentences across 70 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Pioneers
Context Illustration Reading 1/69 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.
Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.
He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.
His body shifted.
The month-long hibernation was over.
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.

Pioneers

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Pioneers is here in full — 348 sentences across 70 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/69 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.
Line 2
Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.
Line 3
He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.
/hiː leɪ ɑːn hɪz bæk hiːlz təˈɡeðər ənd toʊz lɑːpt ˈaʊtwərd ˈelboʊz ˈkraʊdɪŋ ənˈkʌmfərtəbli ˈɪntuː hɪz rɪbz/
Line 4
His body shifted.
/hɪz ˈbɑːdi ˈʃɪftɪd/
Line 5
The month-long hibernation was over.

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.

crowding noun US /ˈkraʊdɪŋ/

a situation in which people or things are crowded together

From this reading “He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.”

Deception noun US /dɪˈsepʃən/

a misleading falsehood

depending verb US /dɪˈpendɪŋ/

-ing form of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)

From this reading “_Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.”

hibernation noun US /ˌhaɪbərˈneɪʃən/

the torpid or resting state in which some animals pass the winter

From this reading “The month-long hibernation was over.”

lopped verb US /lɑːpt/

inflected form of “lop” — cut off from a whole

From this reading “He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.”

plastic adjective US /ˈplæstɪk/

capable of being molded or modeled (especially of earth or clay or other soft material)

From this reading “Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.”

resilient adjective US /rɪˈzɪljənt/

recovering readily from adversity, depression, or the like

From this reading “Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.”

uncomfortably adverb US /ənˈkʌmfərtəbli/

in physical discomfort

From this reading “He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.”

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.

became aware verb + adjective counted as “become aware”

In this reading “Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.”

depending on verb + particle counted as “depend on”

be contingent on

In this reading “_Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.”

look at verb + particle

take into consideration for exemplifying purposes

In this reading “_Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.”

lay on verb + particle

In this reading “He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.”

All words in this reading · 54

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.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

awareadjectiveUS /əˈwer/

(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.

badadjectiveUS /bæd/

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading His body shifted.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

circumstancesnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəmstænsəz/

your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

crowdingnounUS /ˈkraʊdɪŋ/

a situation in which people or things are crowded together

From this reading He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.

DeceptionnounUS /dɪˈsepʃən/

a misleading falsehood

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

dependingverbUS /dɪˈpendɪŋ/

-ing form of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

Dorav

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

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

elbowsnounUS /ˈelboʊz/

plural of “elbow” — hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped

From this reading He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

GraduallyadverbUS /ˈɡrædʒuːəli/

in a gradual manner

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

heelsnounUS /hiːlz/

plural of “heel” — the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation

From this reading He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.

hibernationnounUS /ˌhaɪbərˈneɪʃən/

the torpid or resting state in which some animals pass the winter

From this reading The month-long hibernation was over.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.

how

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

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

loppedverbUS /lɑːpt/

inflected form of “lop” — cut off from a whole

From this reading He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.

month-long

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

From this reading The month-long hibernation was over.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

outwardadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtwərd/

relating to physical reality rather than with thoughts or the mind

From this reading He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading The month-long hibernation was over.

plasticadjectiveUS /ˈplæstɪk/

capable of being molded or modeled (especially of earth or clay or other soft material)

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

primeadjectiveUS /praɪm/

first in rank or degree

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

resilientadjectiveUS /rɪˈzɪljənt/

recovering readily from adversity, depression, or the like

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

ribsnounUS /rɪbz/

plural of “rib” — support resembling the rib of an animal

From this reading He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

rubbernounUS /ˈrʌbər/

an elastic material obtained from the latex sap of trees (especially trees of the genera Hevea and Ficus) that can be vulcanized and finished into a variety of products

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

shiftedverbUS /ˈʃɪftɪd/

past form of “shift” — make a shift in or exchange of

From this reading His body shifted.

supportingadjectiveUS /səˈpɔːrtɪŋ/

furnishing support and encouragement

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

toesnounUS /toʊz/

plural of “toe” — one of the digits of the foot

From this reading He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.

Tzal

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

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

uncomfortablyadverbUS /ənˈkʌmfərtəbli/

in physical discomfort

From this reading He lay on his back, heels together and toes lopped outward, elbows crowding uncomfortably into his ribs.

undoubtedlyadverbUS /ənˈdaʊtɪdli/

without doubt; certainly

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The month-long hibernation was over.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Dorav and Tzal had the right way of looking at it, and the circumstances were undoubtedly prime._ Gradually he became aware of resilient rubber and plastic supporting him.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading _Deception can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it and on the circumstances.

Chapter 1 of Pioneers by Basil Wells holds 348 sentences, grouped into 70 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 Pioneers contain?

Chapter 1 holds 348 sentences of Pioneers, unabridged, divided into 70 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Pioneers by Basil Wells exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 348 sentences, grouped into 70 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 Pioneers?

Work through the 70 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 70 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 Pioneers

Common questions about reading Pioneers by Basil Wells on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Pioneers?

Yes. All 348 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #59302 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Pioneers is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #59302, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Pioneers take to read?

About 29 minutes of reading across 70 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Pioneers section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of Pioneers 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 Pioneers

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

Deception
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Pioneers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Depending
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Pioneers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Circumstances
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Pioneers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dorav
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Pioneers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.