Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma is here in full — 181 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By G. (George) Norway • Curated US English Learning Edition

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AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC.

LONDON SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO., LTD.

Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

She wore the dress of a widow,--a dress so new in its folds that it was evidently but a short time since the Dread Messenger had paused at her threshold to bear away its master and bread-winner.

The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

Narrator

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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.

Chapter I Reading 1/36

Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma G. (George) Norway

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma is here in full — 181 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC. LONDON SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO., LTD. Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face. She wore the dress of a widow,--a dress so new in its folds that it was evidently but a short time since the Dread Messenger had paused at her threshold to bear away its master and bread-winner. The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma is here in full — 181 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/36 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC.

Line 2

LONDON SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO., LTD.

Line 3

Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

Line 4

She wore the dress of a widow,--a dress so new in its folds that it was evidently but a short time since the Dread Messenger had paused at her threshold to bear away its master and bread-winner.

Line 5

The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

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.

conspirator noun US /kənˈspɪrətər/

a member of a conspiracy

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC.”

dreary adjective US /ˈdrɪri/

lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise

From this reading “The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?”

dusty adjective US /ˈdʌsti/

covered with a layer of dust

From this reading “The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?”

folds noun US /foʊldz/

plural of “fold” — an angular or rounded shape made by folding

From this reading “She wore the dress of a widow,--a dress so new in its folds that it was evidently but a short time since the Dread Messenger had paused at her threshold to bear away its master and bread-winner.”

handful noun US /ˈhændfʊl/

a small number or amount

From this reading “The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?”

mournful adjective US /ˈmɔːrnfəl/

expressing sorrow

From this reading “Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.”

parlour noun US /ˈpɑːrlər/

reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received

From this reading “Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.”

shabby adjective US /ˈʃæbi/

showing signs of wear and tear

From this reading “The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?”

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.

growing dusk noun + noun

In this reading “The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?”

short time adjective + noun

In this reading “She wore the dress of a widow,--a dress so new in its folds that it was evidently but a short time since the Dread Messenger had paused at her threshold to bear away its master and bread-winner.”

two years noun + noun

In this reading “Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.”

bear away verb + particle

remove from a certain place, environment, or mental or emotional state; transport into a new location or state

All words in this reading · 82

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 AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

anxiousadjectiveUS /ˈæŋkʃəs/

eagerly desirous

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

ashesnounUS /ˈæʃ.ɪz/

The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

asleepadjectiveUS /əˈsliːp/

in a state of sleep

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She wore the dress of a widow,--a dress so new in its folds that it was evidently but a short time since the Dread Messenger had paused at her threshold to bear away its master and bread-winner.

AUTHORnounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

babynounUS /ˈbeɪbi/

a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

bearverbUS /ber/

have

boynounUS /bɔɪ/

a youthful male person

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

bread-winner

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

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

chee-e-ep

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

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

COnounUS /koʊ/

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

From this reading LONDON SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO., LTD.

CONSPIRATORnounUS /kənˈspɪrətər/

a member of a conspiracy

From this reading AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC.

cryverbUS /kraɪ/

utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

DANGEROUSadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/

involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm

From this reading AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC.

Denham

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

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

DreadnounUS /dred/

fearful expectation or anticipation

drearyadjectiveUS /ˈdrɪri/

lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

dressverbUS /dres/

put on clothes

dusknounUS /dʌsk/

the time of day immediately following sunset

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/

covered with a layer of dust

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

ETC

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC.

evidentlyadverbUS /ˈevədəntli/

unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)

expressionnounUS /ɪkˈspreʃən/

the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

fellverbUS /fel/

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

foldsnounUS /foʊldz/

plural of “fold” — an angular or rounded shape made by folding

growingnounUS /ˈɡroʊɪŋ/

(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

handfulnounUS /ˈhændfʊl/

a small number or amount

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

HUMBLEadjectiveUS /ˈhʌmbəl/

low or inferior in station or quality

From this reading AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

JOHNnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC.

lapverbUS /læp/

lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

LONDONnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading LONDON SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO., LTD.

LOSSnounUS /lɔːs/

something that is lost

From this reading AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC.

LOWadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading LONDON SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO., LTD.

LTD

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

From this reading LONDON SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO., LTD.

MARSTON

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

From this reading LONDON SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO., LTD.

masternounUS /ˈmæstər/

an artist of consummate skill

MessengernounUS /ˈmesəndʒər/

a person who carries a message

mournfuladjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrnfəl/

expressing sorrow

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

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

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

parlournounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/

reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

pausedverbUS /pɔːzd/

past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing

rainnounUS /reɪn/

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

SAMPSON

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

From this reading LONDON SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO., LTD.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/

showing signs of wear and tear

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

soul-depressing

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

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

streetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

thresholdnounUS /ˈθreʃoʊld/

the starting point for a new state or experience

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

TREGARTHEN

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF "TREGARTHEN," "A DANGEROUS CONSPIRATOR," "LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE," ETC.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

WantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

widownounUS /ˈwɪdoʊ/

a woman whose husband is dead especially one who has not remarried

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading The room was a shabby one; the fire but a handful of dusty ashes; rain fell without in the dreary street; it was growing dusk, and a soul-depressing cry of "Want chee-e-ep?

woreverbUS /wɔːr/

inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading Mrs. Denham sat in her parlour, a two years old baby boy asleep upon her lap, and an anxious, mournful expression upon her face.

Chapter 1 of Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma by G. (George) Norway holds 181 sentences, grouped into 37 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 Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma contain?

Chapter 1 holds 181 sentences of Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma, unabridged, divided into 37 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma by G. (George) Norway exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 181 sentences, grouped into 37 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 Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma?

Work through the 37 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 37 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 Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma

Common questions about reading Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma by G. (George) Norway on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma?

Yes. All 3419 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #45774 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #45774, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma take to read?

About 284 minutes of reading across 684 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma

Words and structures a reader meets early in Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tregarthen: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dangerous: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Conspirator: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ralph Denham's Adventures in Burma; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter I

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