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Polly's First Year at Boarding School
Polly's First Year at Boarding School

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Polly's First Year at Boarding School is here in full — 106 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Dorothy Whitehill • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Polly's First Year at Boarding School
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BARSE & CO.
NEW YORK, N. Y., NEWARK, N. J.
Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.
It was the 27th of September and the opening day of school.
The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.
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.

Polly's First Year at Boarding School

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Polly's First Year at Boarding School is here in full — 106 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BARSE & CO.
Line 2
NEW YORK, N. Y., NEWARK, N. J.
/nuː jɔːrk en waɪ ˈnuːərk en dʒeɪ/
Line 3
Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.
Line 4
It was the 27th of September and the opening day of school.
Line 5
The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.
/ðə ɡɜːrlz huː hæd ɔːlˈredi ərˈaɪvd wɜːr ˈwɔːkɪŋ ɑːrm ɪn ɑːrm əˈbaʊt ðə ɡraʊndz ɪn ðə brɔːd əˈsembli hɔːl ənd ɪn ðə ˈkɔːrɪdərz ˈtɔːkɪŋ ˈlæfɪŋ ənd dɪˈskʌsɪŋ ðə ˈsʌmər veɪˈkeɪʃən plænz fɔːr ðə ˈwɪntər ðə nuː ɡɜːrlz ənd ə vərˈaɪəti ʌv ˈsʌbdʒɪkts wɪð faɪn ˌɪmpɑːrʃiˈælɪti/

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.

Boarding noun US /ˈbɔːrdɪŋ/

the act of passengers and crew getting aboard a ship or aircraft

From this reading “Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
corridors noun US /ˈkɔːrɪdərz/

plural of “corridor” — an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it

From this reading “The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
discussing verb US /dɪˈskʌsɪŋ/

-ing form of “discuss” — to consider or examine in speech or writing

From this reading “The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hubbub noun US /ˈhʌbəb/

loud confused noise from many sources

From this reading “Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Hudson noun US /ˈhʌdsən/

a New York river; flows southward into New York Bay; explored by Henry Hudson early in the 17th century

From this reading “Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
impartiality noun US /ˌɪmpɑːrʃiˈælɪti/

an inclination to weigh both views or opinions equally

From this reading “The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
newark noun US /ˈnuːərk/

the largest city in New Jersey; located in northeastern New Jersey

From this reading “NEW YORK, N. Y., NEWARK, N. J.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
vacation noun US /veɪˈkeɪʃən/

leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure

From this reading “The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

Boarding School noun + noun

a private school where students are lodged and fed as well as taught

In this reading “Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.”

925 times in 225,867 chapters
summer vacation noun + noun

In this reading “The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.”

557 times in 225,867 chapters
assembly hall noun + noun

a hall where many people can congregate

In this reading “The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.”

166 times in 225,867 chapters
on top preposition + noun

In this reading “Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.”

12,101 times in 225,867 chapters
First Year adjective + noun

In this reading “Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.”

3,234 times in 225,867 chapters
about the grounds preposition + article + noun counted as “about … grounds”

In this reading “The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.”

530 times in 225,867 chapters
plans for verb + particle counted as “plan for”

In this reading “The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.”

10,839 times in 225,867 chapters
in the corridors preposition + article + noun counted as “in … corridor”

In this reading “The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.”

3,547 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 68

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.

27th

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

From this reading It was the 27th of September and the opening day of school.

Pending verification
adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
armnounUS /ɑːrm/

a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
arrivedverbUS /ərˈaɪvd/

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
assemblynounUS /əˈsembli/

a group of machine parts that fit together to form a self-contained unit

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
BARSE

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

From this reading BARSE & CO.

Pending verification
BoardingnounUS /ˈbɔːrdɪŋ/

the act of passengers and crew getting aboard a ship or aircraft

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
broadadjectiveUS /brɔːd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
COnounUS /koʊ/

an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon

From this reading BARSE & CO.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
confusionnounUS /kənˈfjuːʒən/

disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
corridorsnounUS /ˈkɔːrɪdərz/

plural of “corridor” — an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It was the 27th of September and the opening day of school.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
discussingverbUS /dɪˈskʌsɪŋ/

-ing form of “discuss” — to consider or examine in speech or writing

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
girlsnounUS /ɡɜːrlz/

plural of “girl” — a young female

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
groundsnounUS /ɡraʊndz/

your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HallnounUS /hɔːl/

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hillsnounUS /hɪlz/

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hubbubnounUS /ˈhʌbəb/

loud confused noise from many sources

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HudsonnounUS /ˈhʌdsən/

a New York river; flows southward into New York Bay; explored by Henry Hudson early in the 17th century

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
impartialitynounUS /ˌɪmpɑːrʃiˈælɪti/

an inclination to weigh both views or opinions equally

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was the 27th of September and the opening day of school.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
JnounUS /dʒeɪ/

a unit of electrical energy equal to the work done when a current of one ampere passes through a resistance of one ohm for one second

From this reading NEW YORK, N. Y., NEWARK, N. J.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
laughingadjectiveUS /ˈlæfɪŋ/

showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
linedadjectiveUS /laɪnd/

bordered by a line of things

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NnounUS /en/

a common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all living tissues

From this reading NEW YORK, N. Y., NEWARK, N. J.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NEWadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading NEW YORK, N. Y., NEWARK, N. J.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NEWARKnounUS /ˈnuːərk/

the largest city in New Jersey; located in northeastern New Jersey

From this reading NEW YORK, N. Y., NEWARK, N. J.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
openingnounUS /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/

an open or empty space in or between things

From this reading It was the 27th of September and the opening day of school.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
plansnounUS /plænz/

plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Polly's

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

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

Pending verification
RivernounUS /ˈrɪvər/

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
scenenounUS /siːn/

the place where some action occurs

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SchoolnounUS /skuːl/

an educational institution

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Seddon

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

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

Pending verification
SeptembernounUS /sepˈtembər/

the month following August and preceding October

From this reading It was the 27th of September and the opening day of school.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
situatedadjectiveUS /ˈsɪtʃuːeɪtɪd/

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
subjectsnounUS /ˈsʌbdʒɪkts/

plural of “subject” — the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
summernounUS /ˈsʌmər/

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
talkingnounUS /ˈtɔːkɪŋ/

an exchange of ideas via conversation

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
topnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
vacationnounUS /veɪˈkeɪʃən/

leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
varietynounUS /vərˈaɪəti/

a collection containing a variety of sorts of things

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
walkingadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːkɪŋ/

close enough to be walked to

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
winternounUS /ˈwɪntər/

the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in the corridors, talking, laughing and discussing the summer vacation, plans for the winter, the new girls, and a variety of subjects with fine impartiality.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
YnounUS /waɪ/

a silvery metallic element that is common in rare-earth minerals; used in magnesium and aluminum alloys

From this reading NEW YORK, N. Y., NEWARK, N. J.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
YearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading Polly’s First Year at Boarding School Seddon Hall, situated on top of one of the many hills that lined either side of the Hudson River, was a scene of hubbub and confusion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
YORKnounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading NEW YORK, N. Y., NEWARK, N. J.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 1 of Polly's First Year at Boarding School by Dorothy Whitehill holds 106 sentences, grouped into 22 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 Polly's First Year at Boarding School contain?

Chapter 1 holds 106 sentences of Polly's First Year at Boarding School, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Polly's First Year at Boarding School by Dorothy Whitehill exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 106 sentences, grouped into 22 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 Polly's First Year at Boarding School?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 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 Polly's First Year at Boarding School

Common questions about reading Polly's First Year at Boarding School by Dorothy Whitehill on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Polly's First Year at Boarding School?

Yes. All 3724 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #39570 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Polly's First Year at Boarding School is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #39570, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Polly's First Year at Boarding School take to read?

About 310 minutes of reading across 745 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Polly's First Year at Boarding School section by section

How to work through Polly's First Year at Boarding School section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of Polly's First Year at Boarding School 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 Polly's First Year at Boarding School

Words and structures a reader meets early in Polly's First Year at Boarding School, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Barse
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Polly's First Year at Boarding School; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Newark
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Polly's First Year at Boarding School; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Polly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Polly's First Year at Boarding School; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
First
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Polly's First Year at Boarding School; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.