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Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890
Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 is here in full — 571 sentences across 115 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Various • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890
Context Illustration Reading 88/114 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
My subscription, I find, has only a year to run.
The question is, what can I do?
My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."
I know I am not alone in this.
My friend HARTVIG, who is an actor, has been similarly treated.
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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.

Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 is here in full — 571 sentences across 115 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 88/114 · 5 reading units · Lines 436–440

Line 1
My subscription, I find, has only a year to run.
/maɪ səbˈskrɪpʃən aɪ faɪnd hæz ˈoʊnli ə jɪr tuː rʌn/
Line 2
The question is, what can I do?
/ðə ˈkwestʃən ɪz wʌt kæn aɪ duː/
Line 3
My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."
Line 4
I know I am not alone in this.
/aɪ noʊ aɪ æm nɑːt əˈloʊn ɪn ðɪs/
Line 5
My friend HARTVIG, who is an actor, has been similarly treated.

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.

actor noun US /ˈæktər/

a theatrical performer

From this reading “My friend HARTVIG, who is an actor, has been similarly treated.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
blighted adjective US /ˈblaɪtɪd/

affected by blight; anything that mars or prevents growth or prosperity

From this reading “My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Cutting noun US /ˈkʌtɪŋ/

the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film

From this reading “My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Limited adjective US /ˈlɪmətəd/

small in range or scope

From this reading “My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
poisoned verb US /ˈpɔɪzənd/

past form of “poison” — spoil as if by poison

From this reading “My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
similarly adverb US /ˈsɪmələrli/

in like or similar manner

From this reading “My friend HARTVIG, who is an actor, has been similarly treated.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
subscription noun US /səbˈskrɪpʃən/

a payment for consecutive issues of a newspaper or magazine for a given period of time

From this reading “My subscription, I find, has only a year to run.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Universal adjective US /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəl/

of worldwide scope or applicability

From this reading “My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 50

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading My subscription, I find, has only a year to run.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
actornounUS /ˈæktər/

a theatrical performer

From this reading My friend HARTVIG, who is an actor, has been similarly treated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading I know I am not alone in this.

Velmora curated lexicon
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading I know I am not alone in this.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading My friend HARTVIG, who is an actor, has been similarly treated.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
blightedadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪtɪd/

affected by blight; anything that mars or prevents growth or prosperity

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BritishnounUS /ˈbrɪtɪʃ/

the people of Great Britain

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
CnounUS /siː/

a degree on the centigrade scale of temperature

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading The question is, what can I do?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
CompanynounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cupnounUS /kʌp/

a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CuttingnounUS /ˈkʌtɪŋ/

the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dashedadjectiveUS /dæʃt/

having gaps or spaces

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading The question is, what can I do?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading My subscription, I find, has only a year to run.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading My friend HARTVIG, who is an actor, has been similarly treated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
happinessnounUS /ˈhæpinəs/

state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HARTVIG

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

From this reading My friend HARTVIG, who is an actor, has been similarly treated.

Pending verification
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading My subscription, I find, has only a year to run.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading My subscription, I find, has only a year to run.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I know I am not alone in this.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading The question is, what can I do?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading I know I am not alone in this.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LimitedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪmətəd/

small in range or scope

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lipsnounUS /lɪps/

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading My subscription, I find, has only a year to run.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I know I am not alone in this.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Notice-Mongers

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

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

Pending verification
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading My subscription, I find, has only a year to run.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PnounUS /piː/

a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
poisonedverbUS /ˈpɔɪzənd/

past form of “poison” — spoil as if by poison

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
questionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading The question is, what can I do?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
runverbUS /rʌn/

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading My subscription, I find, has only a year to run.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
similarlyadverbUS /ˈsɪmələrli/

in like or similar manner

From this reading My friend HARTVIG, who is an actor, has been similarly treated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
subscriptionnounUS /səbˈskrɪpʃən/

a payment for consecutive issues of a newspaper or magazine for a given period of time

From this reading My subscription, I find, has only a year to run.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The question is, what can I do?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading I know I am not alone in this.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading My subscription, I find, has only a year to run.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
treatedadjectiveUS /ˈtriːtɪd/

subjected to a physical (or chemical) treatment or action or agent

From this reading My friend HARTVIG, who is an actor, has been similarly treated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
UnounUS /juː/

a base containing nitrogen that is found in RNA (but not in DNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
UniversaladjectiveUS /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəl/

of worldwide scope or applicability

From this reading My life has been blighted by the U.A.C.P., poisoned by "The Universal Notice-Mongers," and the cup of happiness has been dashed from my lips by "The British Cutting Company (Limited)."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The question is, what can I do?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading My friend HARTVIG, who is an actor, has been similarly treated.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading My subscription, I find, has only a year to run.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 1 of Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 by Various holds 571 sentences, grouped into 115 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 Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 contain?

Chapter 1 holds 571 sentences of Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890, unabridged, divided into 115 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 by Various exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 571 sentences, grouped into 115 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 Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890?

Work through the 115 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 115 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 Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890

Common questions about reading Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 by Various on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890?

Yes. All 571 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #12305 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #12305, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 take to read?

About 47 minutes of reading across 115 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 section by section

How to work through Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 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 Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890

Words and structures a reader meets early in Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

London
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Charivari
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
August
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Modern
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.