Chapter I
Chapter 1
Chapter 1 of Rollo at Play is here in full — 441 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
SAFE AMUSEMENTS. STORY 2. THE STEEPLE-TRAP. The Way to catch a Squirrel. The Way to lose a Squirrel.
Rollo at Play
Chapter I · Chapter 1
Chapter 1 of Rollo at Play is here in full — 441 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
SAFE
AMUSEMENTS.
STORY
2.
THE
STEEPLE-TRAP.
The
Way
to
catch
a
Squirrel.
The
Way
to
lose
a
Squirrel.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Rollo at Play
Chapter I · Chapter 1
Chapter 1 of Rollo at Play is here in full — 441 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/88 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
Line 1
SAFE
AMUSEMENTS.
/seɪf əˈmjuːzmənts/
Line 2
STORY
2.
Line 3
THE
STEEPLE-TRAP.
Line 4
The
Way
to
catch
a
Squirrel.
/ðə weɪ tuː kætʃ ə ˈskwɜːrəl/
Line 5
The
Way
to
lose
a
Squirrel.
/ðə weɪ tuː luːz ə ˈskwɜːrəl/
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.
amusements
noun
US /əˈmjuːzmənts/
plural of “amusement” — a feeling of delight at being entertained
From this reading “SAFE AMUSEMENTS.”
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading “The Way to catch a Squirrel.”
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading “The Way to lose a Squirrel.”
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading “SAFE AMUSEMENTS.”
Squirrel
noun
US /ˈskwɜːrəl/
a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail
From this reading “The Way to catch a Squirrel.”
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading “STORY 2.”
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading “The Way to catch a Squirrel.”
All words in this reading · 12
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.
2
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading STORY 2.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Way to catch a Squirrel.
AMUSEMENTSnounUS /əˈmjuːzmənts/
plural of “amusement” — a feeling of delight at being entertained
From this reading SAFE AMUSEMENTS.
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading The Way to catch a Squirrel.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading The Way to lose a Squirrel.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading SAFE AMUSEMENTS.
SquirrelnounUS /ˈskwɜːrəl/
a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail
From this reading The Way to catch a Squirrel.
STEEPLE-TRAP
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE STEEPLE-TRAP.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading STORY 2.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE STEEPLE-TRAP.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Way to catch a Squirrel.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The Way to catch a Squirrel.
Chapter 1 of Rollo at Play by Jacob Abbott holds 441 sentences, grouped into 89 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 Rollo at Play contain?
Chapter 1 holds 441 sentences of Rollo at Play, unabridged, divided into 89 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Rollo at Play by Jacob Abbott exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 441 sentences, grouped into 89 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 Rollo at Play?
Work through the 89 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 89 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 Rollo at Play
Common questions about reading Rollo at Play by Jacob Abbott on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Is this the complete text of Rollo at Play?
Yes. All 1746 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #11140 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Which edition of Rollo at Play is used?
Project Gutenberg eBook #11140, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
How long does Rollo at Play take to read?
About 145 minutes of reading across 350 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to read Rollo at Play section by section
How to work through Rollo at Play section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
-
Open a chapter
Choose one of the 4 chapters of Rollo at Play to begin.
-
Read one section
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
-
Listen and tap
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Vocabulary met early in Rollo at Play
Words and structures a reader meets early in Rollo at Play, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
- Amusements
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of Rollo at Play; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Story
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of Rollo at Play; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Steeple-trap
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of Rollo at Play; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Catch
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of Rollo at Play; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.