Chapter 1 of Punch is here in full — 702 sentences across 141 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Punch is here in full — 702 sentences across 141 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. Vol. 159. October 20, 1920. CHARIVARIA. "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
Chapter 1 of Punch is here in full — 702 sentences across 141 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/140 · 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 native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading “"Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."”
a piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area
From this reading “"Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."”
a writer for newspapers and magazines
From this reading “"Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."”
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading “PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.”
the month following September and preceding November
From this reading “October 20, 1920.”
deliver a quick blow to
From this reading “PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.”
at any time that; every time that
From this reading “"Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."”
third-person singular of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading “"Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."”
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 Vol. 159.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading October 20, 1920.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading October 20, 1920.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
a noisy mock serenade (made by banging pans and kettles) to a newly married couple
From this reading PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CHARIVARIA.
a piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area
From this reading "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
a writer for newspapers and magazines
From this reading "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
the month following September and preceding November
From this reading October 20, 1920.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
deliver a quick blow to
From this reading PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Vol. 159.
at any time that; every time that
From this reading "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
third-person singular of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading "Whenever I am in London," writes an American journalist, "I never miss the House of Commons."
Chapter 1 of Punch by Various holds 702 sentences, grouped into 141 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 702 sentences of Punch, unabridged, divided into 141 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Punch by Various exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 702 sentences, grouped into 141 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 141 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 141 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 Punch by Various on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 702 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #27421 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #27421, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 58 minutes of reading across 141 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Punch section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 1 chapters of Punch 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 Punch, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
