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Romance
Romance

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Romance is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Romance
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
C’est toi qui dors dans Vombre, O sacré Souvenir.”
If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....
For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.
To yesterday and to to-day I say my polite vaya usted con Dios.”
What are these days to me?
0:00 / 0:00
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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.

Romance

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Romance is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
C’est toi qui dors dans Vombre, O sacré Souvenir.”
Line 2
If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....
Line 3
For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.
Line 4
To yesterday and to to-day I say my politevaya usted con Dios.”
Line 5
What are these days to me?
/wʌt ɑːr ðiːz deɪz tuː miː/

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.

con noun US /kɑːn/

an argument opposed to a proposal

From this reading “To yesterday and to to-day I say my polite “vaya usted con Dios.””

gleams noun US /ɡliːmz/

plural of “gleam” — an appearance of reflected light

From this reading “If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....”

intangible noun US /ˌɪnˈtændʒəbəl/

assets that are saleable though not material or physical

From this reading “If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....”

olden adjective US /ˈoʊldən/

relating to time long past

From this reading “For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.”

showers noun US /ˈʃaʊərz/

plural of “shower” — a plumbing fixture that sprays water over you

From this reading “If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....”

Souvenir noun US /ˌsuːvəˈnɪr/

something of sentimental value

From this reading ““C’est toi qui dors dans Vombre, O sacré Souvenir.””

uncharted adjective US /ənˈtʃɑːrtɪd/

(of unknown regions) not yet surveyed or investigated

From this reading “If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....”

workaday adjective US /ˈwɜːrkədeɪ/

found in the ordinary course of events

From this reading “If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....”

All words in this reading · 79

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.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading What are these days to me?

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

C'est

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

From this reading “C’est toi qui dors dans Vombre, O sacré Souvenir.”

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

connounUS /kɑːn/

an argument opposed to a proposal

From this reading To yesterday and to to-day I say my polite “vaya usted con Dios.”

contentments

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

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

dans

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

From this reading “C’est toi qui dors dans Vombre, O sacré Souvenir.”

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

dimm'd

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

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

Dios

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

From this reading To yesterday and to to-day I say my polite “vaya usted con Dios.”

dors

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

From this reading “C’est toi qui dors dans Vombre, O sacré Souvenir.”

farenounUS /fer/

an agenda of things to do

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

fieldsnounUS /fiːldz/

United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

flownounUS /floʊ/

the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/

at or to or toward the front

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

gleamsnounUS /ɡliːmz/

plural of “gleam” — an appearance of reflected light

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

hazenounUS /heɪz/

atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading To yesterday and to to-day I say my polite “vaya usted con Dios.”

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

intangiblenounUS /ˌɪnˈtændʒəbəl/

assets that are saleable though not material or physical

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading What are these days to me?

memoriesnounUS /ˈmɛm.ə.riz/

Recollections of past events.

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading To yesterday and to to-day I say my polite “vaya usted con Dios.”

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

OnounUS /oʊ/

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading “C’est toi qui dors dans Vombre, O sacré Souvenir.”

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

oldenadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldən/

relating to time long past

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

OurdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

ourspronounUS /ˈaʊərz/

the one or ones belonging to us

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

politeadjectiveUS /pəˈlaɪt/

showing regard for others in manners, speech, behavior, etc.

From this reading To yesterday and to to-day I say my polite “vaya usted con Dios.”

powersnounUS /ˈpaʊərz/

plural of “power” — possession of controlling influence

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

qui

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

From this reading “C’est toi qui dors dans Vombre, O sacré Souvenir.”

remembrancenounUS /riˈmembrəns/

the ability to recall past occurrences

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

romancenounUS /roʊˈmæns/

a relationship between two lovers

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

romanticadjectiveUS /roʊˈmæntɪk/

belonging to or characteristic of Romanticism or the Romantic Movement in the arts

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

sacré

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

From this reading “C’est toi qui dors dans Vombre, O sacré Souvenir.”

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading To yesterday and to to-day I say my polite “vaya usted con Dios.”

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

showersnounUS /ˈʃaʊərz/

plural of “shower” — a plumbing fixture that sprays water over you

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

SouvenirnounUS /ˌsuːvəˈnɪr/

something of sentimental value

From this reading “C’est toi qui dors dans Vombre, O sacré Souvenir.”

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

swiftadjectiveUS /swɪft/

moving very fast

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

that's

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

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

to-day

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

From this reading To yesterday and to to-day I say my polite “vaya usted con Dios.”

toi

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

From this reading “C’est toi qui dors dans Vombre, O sacré Souvenir.”

unchartedadjectiveUS /ənˈtʃɑːrtɪd/

(of unknown regions) not yet surveyed or investigated

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

UponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

usted

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

From this reading To yesterday and to to-day I say my polite “vaya usted con Dios.”

vaya

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

From this reading To yesterday and to to-day I say my polite “vaya usted con Dios.”

venturousadjective

disposed to venture or take risks

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

Vombre

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

From this reading “C’est toi qui dors dans Vombre, O sacré Souvenir.”

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

We'll

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

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What are these days to me?

what's

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

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

workadayadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrkədeɪ/

found in the ordinary course of events

From this reading If we could have remembrance now And see, as in the days to come We shall, what’s venturous in these hours: The swift, intangible romance of fields at home, The gleams of sun, the showers, Our workaday contentments, or our powers To fare still forward through the uncharted haze Of present days....

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading For, looking back when years shall flow Upon this olden day that’s now, We’ll see, romantic in dimm’d hours, These memories of ours.

yesterdaynounUS /ˈjestərdeɪ/

the day immediately before today

From this reading To yesterday and to to-day I say my polite “vaya usted con Dios.”

Chapter 1 of Romance by Joseph Conrad holds 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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 Romance contain?

Chapter 1 holds 409 sentences of Romance, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Romance by Joseph Conrad exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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 Romance?

Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 82 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 Romance

Common questions about reading Romance by Joseph Conrad on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Romance?

Yes. All 11053 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #17642 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Romance is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #17642, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Romance take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2211 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Romance section by section

How to work through Romance section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 27 chapters of Romance 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 Romance

Words and structures a reader meets early in Romance, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Vombre
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Souvenir
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Remembrance
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Shall
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.