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Playing With Fire
Playing With Fire

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Playing With Fire is here in full — 491 sentences across 99 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Playing With Fire
Context Illustration Reading 1/98 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.
Glasgow is the city of Human Power.
It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.
There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.
But there are no loungers in them.
0:00 / 0:00
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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.

Playing With Fire

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Playing With Fire is here in full — 491 sentences across 99 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/98 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.
Line 2
Glasgow is the city of Human Power.
/ˈɡlæskoʊ ɪz ðə ˈsɪti ʌv ˈhjuːmən ˈpaʊər/
Line 3
It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.
/ɪt ɪz nɑːt ə ˈbjuːtəfəl ˈsɪti bʌt ðə ɡreɪ ˈɡrænət ʌv wɪtʃ ɪt ɪz bɪlt ɡɪvz ɪt ə ˈnætʃərəl noʊˈbɪləti/
Line 4
There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.
/ðer ɪz ˈnʌθɪŋ roʊˈmæntɪk əˈbaʊt ɪts ˌsɪtʃuːˈeɪʃən ənd ɪts striːts ɑːr tuː ˈɔːfən stiːpt ɪn wet ɡreɪ mɪst ɔːr ræpt ɪn ˈjeloʊɪʃ ˈveɪpər/
Line 5
But there are no loungers in them.

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.

clothed adjective US /kloʊðd/

wearing or provided with clothing; sometimes used in combination

From this reading “An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.”

doctrine noun US /ˈdɑːktrən/

a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school

From this reading “An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.”

Glasgow noun US /ˈɡlæskoʊ/

largest city in Scotland; a port on the Clyde in west central Scotland; one of the great shipbuilding centers of the world

From this reading “Glasgow is the city of Human Power.”

granite noun US /ˈɡrænət/

plutonic igneous rock having visibly crystalline texture; generally composed of feldspar and mica and quartz

From this reading “It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.”

nobility noun US /noʊˈbɪləti/

a privileged class holding hereditary titles

From this reading “It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.”

steeped verb US /stiːpt/

past form of “steep” — devote (oneself) fully to

From this reading “There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.”

vapor noun US /ˈveɪpər/

a visible suspension in the air of particles of some substance

From this reading “There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.”

yellowish adjective US /ˈjeloʊɪʃ/

of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk

From this reading “There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.”

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.

high priest adjective + noun

a preeminent authority or major proponent of a movement or doctrine

In this reading “An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.”

Human Power adjective + noun

In this reading “Glasgow is the city of Human Power.”

beautiful city adjective + noun

In this reading “It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.”

All words in this reading · 52

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.

40

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

From this reading An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.

5

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

From this reading An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

AndeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.

builtadjectiveUS /bɪlt/

(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness

From this reading It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Glasgow is the city of Human Power.

clothedadjectiveUS /kloʊðd/

wearing or provided with clothing; sometimes used in combination

From this reading An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.

doctrinenounUS /ˈdɑːktrən/

a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school

From this reading An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.

ESDRAS

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

From this reading An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.

givesnounUS /ɡɪvz/

plural of “give” — the elasticity of something that can be stretched and returns to its original length

From this reading It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.

GlasgownounUS /ˈɡlæskoʊ/

largest city in Scotland; a port on the Clyde in west central Scotland; one of the great shipbuilding centers of the world

From this reading Glasgow is the city of Human Power.

granitenounUS /ˈɡrænət/

plutonic igneous rock having visibly crystalline texture; generally composed of feldspar and mica and quartz

From this reading It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.

graynounUS /ɡreɪ/

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.

HumanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading Glasgow is the city of Human Power.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Glasgow is the city of Human Power.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

loungers

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

From this reading But there are no loungers in them.

mistverbUS /mɪst/

become covered with mist

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

naturaladjectiveUS /ˈnætʃərəl/

in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature

From this reading It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading But there are no loungers in them.

nobilitynounUS /noʊˈbɪləti/

a privileged class holding hereditary titles

From this reading It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Glasgow is the city of Human Power.

oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

PowernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading Glasgow is the city of Human Power.

priestnounUS /priːst/

a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders

From this reading An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.

romanticadjectiveUS /roʊˈmæntɪk/

belonging to or characteristic of Romanticism or the Romantic Movement in the arts

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

situationnounUS /ˌsɪtʃuːˈeɪʃən/

the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

steepedverbUS /stiːpt/

past form of “steep” — devote (oneself) fully to

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

streetsnounUS /striːts/

plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Glasgow is the city of Human Power.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading But there are no loungers in them.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

truthnounUS /truːθ/

a fact that has been verified

From this reading An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.

vapornounUS /ˈveɪpər/

a visible suspension in the air of particles of some substance

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

wetadjectiveUS /wet/

covered or soaked with a liquid such as water

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading It is not a beautiful city, but the gray granite of which it is built gives it a natural nobility.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading An high priest clothed with doctrine and with truth.--ESDRAS I: 5:40.

wrappedadjectiveUS /ræpt/

covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

yellowishadjectiveUS /ˈjeloʊɪʃ/

of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk

From this reading There is nothing romantic about its situation, and its streets are too often steeped in wet, gray mist, or wrapped in yellowish vapor.

Chapter 1 of Playing With Fire by Amelia E. Barr holds 491 sentences, grouped into 99 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 Playing With Fire contain?

Chapter 1 holds 491 sentences of Playing With Fire, unabridged, divided into 99 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Playing With Fire by Amelia E. Barr exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 491 sentences, grouped into 99 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 Playing With Fire?

Work through the 99 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 99 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 Playing With Fire

Common questions about reading Playing With Fire by Amelia E. Barr on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Playing With Fire?

Yes. All 4949 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #36538 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Playing With Fire is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #36538, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Playing With Fire take to read?

About 412 minutes of reading across 990 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Playing With Fire section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 12 chapters of Playing With Fire 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 Playing With Fire

Words and structures a reader meets early in Playing With Fire, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Priest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Playing With Fire; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Clothed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Playing With Fire; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Doctrine
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Playing With Fire; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Truth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Playing With Fire; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.