Chapter 1 of Project Mastodon is here in full — 490 sentences across 98 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Project Mastodon is here in full — 490 sentences across 98 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The chief of protocol said, "Mr. Hudson of--ah--Mastodonia." The secretary of state held out his hand. "I'm glad to see you, Mr. Hudson. I understand you've been here several times." "That's right," said Hudson.
Chapter 1 of Project Mastodon is here in full — 490 sentences across 98 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/98 · 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.
a person who is in charge
From this reading “The chief of protocol said, "Mr. Hudson of--ah--Mastodonia."”
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading “"I'm glad to see you, Mr. Hudson.”
a New York river; flows southward into New York Bay; explored by Henry Hudson early in the 17th century
From this reading “The chief of protocol said, "Mr. Hudson of--ah--Mastodonia."”
(computer science) rules determining the format and transmission of data
From this reading “The chief of protocol said, "Mr. Hudson of--ah--Mastodonia."”
a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading “The secretary of state held out his hand.”
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading “I understand you've been here several times."”
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading “The secretary of state held out his hand.”
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading “I understand you've been here several times."”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chief of protocol said, "Mr. Hudson of--ah--Mastodonia."
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I understand you've been here several times."
a person who is in charge
From this reading The chief of protocol said, "Mr. Hudson of--ah--Mastodonia."
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading "I'm glad to see you, Mr. Hudson.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The secretary of state held out his hand.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The secretary of state held out his hand.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading I understand you've been here several times."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The secretary of state held out his hand.
a New York river; flows southward into New York Bay; explored by Henry Hudson early in the 17th century
From this reading The chief of protocol said, "Mr. Hudson of--ah--Mastodonia."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I understand you've been here several times."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm glad to see you, Mr. Hudson.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chief of protocol said, "Mr. Hudson of--ah--Mastodonia."
a form of address for a man
From this reading The chief of protocol said, "Mr. Hudson of--ah--Mastodonia."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The chief of protocol said, "Mr. Hudson of--ah--Mastodonia."
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The secretary of state held out his hand.
(computer science) rules determining the format and transmission of data
From this reading The chief of protocol said, "Mr. Hudson of--ah--Mastodonia."
precisely, exactly
From this reading "That's right," said Hudson.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading The chief of protocol said, "Mr. Hudson of--ah--Mastodonia."
a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading The secretary of state held out his hand.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "I'm glad to see you, Mr. Hudson.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading I understand you've been here several times."
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading The secretary of state held out his hand.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's right," said Hudson.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The chief of protocol said, "Mr. Hudson of--ah--Mastodonia."
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading I understand you've been here several times."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I'm glad to see you, Mr. Hudson.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading I understand you've been here several times."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I'm glad to see you, Mr. Hudson.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I understand you've been here several times."
Chapter 1 of Project Mastodon by Clifford D. Simak holds 490 sentences, grouped into 98 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 1 holds 490 sentences of Project Mastodon, unabridged, divided into 98 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Project Mastodon by Clifford D. Simak exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 490 sentences, grouped into 98 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 98 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 98 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 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.
Common questions about reading Project Mastodon by Clifford D. Simak on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 957 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #22216 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #22216, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 79 minutes of reading across 192 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Project Mastodon section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 2 chapters of Project Mastodon 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 Project Mastodon, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
