Chapter 1 of Shadows and sunbeams is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Shadows and sunbeams is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO. ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE THOMAS. MDCCCLIV. Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall. PREFACE.
Chapter 1 of Shadows and sunbeams is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 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.
the thing arranged or agreed to
From this reading “Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.”
any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores
From this reading “SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.”
past form of “illustrate” — clarify by giving an example of
From this reading “ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE THOMAS.”
concerning or belonging to all or at least two or more nations
From this reading “Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.”
a large, flat, thin case for carrying loose papers or drawings or maps; usually leather
From this reading “SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.”
a short introductory essay preceding the text of a book
From this reading “PREFACE.”
plural of “proprietor” — (law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business
From this reading “Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.”
plural of “stationer” — a merchant who sells writing materials and office supplies
From this reading “Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.”
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.
In this reading “SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.”
In this reading “ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE THOMAS.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.
the thing arranged or agreed to
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE THOMAS.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.
any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores
From this reading SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE THOMAS.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
past form of “illustrate” — clarify by giving an example of
From this reading ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE THOMAS.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
concerning or belonging to all or at least two or more nations
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MDCCCLIV.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.
a large, flat, thin case for carrying loose papers or drawings or maps; usually leather
From this reading SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.
a short introductory essay preceding the text of a book
From this reading PREFACE.
plural of “proprietor” — (law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
prepared and printed for distribution and sale
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.
similar things placed in order or happening one after another
From this reading SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.
plural of “stationer” — a merchant who sells writing materials and office supplies
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHADOWS AND SUNBEAMS: Being a Second Series OF FERN LEAVES FROM FANNY’S PORTFOLIO.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)
From this reading ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE THOMAS.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Published first in England by International Arrangement with the American Proprietors, and Entered at Stationers’ Hall.
Chapter 1 of Shadows and sunbeams by Fanny Fern holds 413 sentences, grouped into 83 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 413 sentences of Shadows and sunbeams, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Shadows and sunbeams by Fanny Fern exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 413 sentences, grouped into 83 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 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 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 Shadows and sunbeams by Fanny Fern on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #?, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Shadows and sunbeams section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 0 chapters of Shadows and sunbeams 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 Shadows and sunbeams, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
