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Tartarin of Tarascon
Tartarin of Tarascon

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Tartarin of Tarascon is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Tartarin of Tarascon
Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I. The Garden Round the Giant Trees.
MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.
At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.
A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.
Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!
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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.

Tartarin of Tarascon

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Tartarin of Tarascon is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I. The Garden Round the Giant Trees.
/aɪ ðə ˈɡɑːrdən raʊnd ðə ˈdʒaɪənt triːz/
Line 2
MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.
Line 3
At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.
Line 4
A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.
Line 5
Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!
/ˈaʊtwərdli ðə ˈdwelɪŋ hæd noʊ rɪˈmɑːrkəbəl ˈfiːtʃərz ənd nʌn wʊd ˈevər bɪˈliːv ɪt ðə əˈboʊd ʌv ə ˈhɪroʊ bʌt wen juː stept ˌɪnˈsaɪd jiː ɡɑːdz ənd ˈlɪtəl ˈfɪʃəz wʌt ə tʃeɪndʒ/

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.

Avignon noun US /ˈævɪnjɔːn/

a town in southeastern France on the Rhone River; the seat of the papacy from 1309 to 1378 and the residence of antipopes during the Great Schism

From this reading “At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.”

brood verb US /bruːd/

think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading “A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.”

doorsteps noun US /ˈdɔːrsteps/

plural of “doorstep” — the sill of a door; a horizontal piece of wood or stone that forms the bottom of a doorway and offers support when passing through a doorway

From this reading “A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.”

dozing verb US /ˈdoʊzɪŋ/

-ing form of “doze” — sleep lightly or for a short period of time

From this reading “A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.”

fishes noun US /ˈfɪʃəz/

plural of “fish” — any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills

From this reading “Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!”

hopscotch noun US /ˈhɑːpskɑːtʃ/

a game in which a child tosses a stone into an area drawn on the ground and then hops through it and back to regain the stone

From this reading “A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.”

intrepid adjective US /ɪnˈtrepəd/

invulnerable to fear or intimidation

From this reading “At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.”

Outwardly adverb US /ˈaʊtwərdli/

with respect to the outside

From this reading “Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!”

All words in this reading · 99

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 first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

abodenounUS /əˈboʊd/

any address at which you dwell more than temporarily

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

agoadverbUS /əˈɡoʊ/

in the past

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

AvignonnounUS /ˈævɪnjɔːn/

a town in southeastern France on the Rhone River; the seat of the papacy from 1309 to 1378 and the residence of antipopes during the Great Schism

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

balconynounUS /ˈbælkəni/

an upper floor projecting from the rear over the main floor in an auditorium

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

beginsnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnz/

plural of “begin” — Israeli statesman (born in Russia) who (as prime minister of Israel) negotiated a peace treaty with Anwar Sadat (then the president of Egypt) (1913-1992)

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

boxesnounUS /ˈbɑːksəz/

plural of “box” — a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

broadadjectiveUS /brɔːd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

broodverbUS /bruːd/

think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

datenounUS /deɪt/

the specified day of the month

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

doorstepsnounUS /ˈdɔːrsteps/

plural of “doorstep” — the sill of a door; a horizontal piece of wood or stone that forms the bottom of a doorway and offers support when passing through a doorway

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

dozennounUS /ˈdʌzən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

dozingverbUS /ˈdoʊzɪŋ/

-ing form of “doze” — sleep lightly or for a short period of time

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

dwellingnounUS /ˈdwelɪŋ/

housing that someone is living in

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

featuresnounUS /ˈfiːtʃərz/

plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

fishesnounUS /ˈfɪʃəz/

plural of “fish” — any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

GardennounUS /ˈɡɑːrdən/

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading I. The Garden Round the Giant Trees.

GiantnounUS /ˈdʒaɪənt/

any creature of exceptional size

From this reading I. The Garden Round the Giant Trees.

glaringlyadverb

in a glaring manner

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

godsnounUS /ɡɑːdz/

plural of “god” — the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

greennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

headsnounUS /hedz/

plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

heronounUS /ˈhɪroʊ/

a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

hopscotchnounUS /ˈhɑːpskɑːtʃ/

a game in which a child tosses a stone into an area drawn on the ground and then hops through it and back to regain the stone

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I. The Garden Round the Giant Trees.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

insideadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsaɪd/

relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

intrepidadjectiveUS /ɪnˈtrepəd/

invulnerable to fear or intimidation

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

localadjectiveUS /ˈloʊkəl/

relating to or applicable to or concerned with the administration of a city or town or district rather than a larger area

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

MYdeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

never-to-be-forgotten

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

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

nonepronounUS /nʌn/

not one, and not any

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

OutwardlyadverbUS /ˈaʊtwərdli/

with respect to the outside

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

pillowed

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

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

playingnounUS /ˈpleɪɪŋ/

the act of playing a musical instrument

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

remainedverbUS /rɪˈmeɪnd/

past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

remarkableadjectiveUS /rɪˈmɑːrkəbəl/

unusual or striking

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

RoundnounUS /raʊnd/

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading I. The Garden Round the Giant Trees.

Savoyardnoun

a person who performs in the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

shoe-blackguards

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

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

steppedverbUS /stept/

inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

stylenounUS /staɪl/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

sunshinenounUS /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/

the rays of the sun

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

Tarascon

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

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

Tartarin

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

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

tennounUS /ten/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I. The Garden Round the Giant Trees.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

thirdnounUS /θɜːrd/

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading At that time the intrepid Tartarin lived in the third house on the left as the town begins, on the Avignon road.

TreesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading I. The Garden Round the Giant Trees.

venetians

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

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

villanounUS /ˈvɪlə/

Mexican revolutionary leader (1877-1923)

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

visitverbUS /ˈvɪzɪt/

go to see a place, as for entertainment

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

wallsnounUS /wɔːlz/

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading A pretty little villa in the local style, with a front garden and a balcony behind, the walls glaringly white and the venetians very green; and always about the doorsteps a brood of little Savoyard shoe-blackguards playing hopscotch, or dozing in the broad sunshine with their heads pillowed on their boxes.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

yepronounUS /jiː/

an old word for “you”, speaking to more than one person

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

yesterdaynounUS /ˈjestərdeɪ/

the day immediately before today

From this reading MY first visit to Tartarin of Tarascon has remained a never-to-be-forgotten date in my life; although quite ten or a dozen years ago, I remember it better than yesterday.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Outwardly the dwelling had no remarkable features, and none would ever believe it the abode of a hero; but when you stepped inside, ye gods and little fishes! what a change!

Chapter 1 of Tartarin of Tarascon by Alphonse Daudet holds 148 sentences, grouped into 30 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 Tartarin of Tarascon contain?

Chapter 1 holds 148 sentences of Tartarin of Tarascon, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Tartarin of Tarascon by Alphonse Daudet exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 148 sentences, grouped into 30 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 Tartarin of Tarascon?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 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 Tartarin of Tarascon

Common questions about reading Tartarin of Tarascon by Alphonse Daudet on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Tartarin of Tarascon?

Yes. All 1451 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1862 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Tartarin of Tarascon is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1862, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Tartarin of Tarascon take to read?

About 120 minutes of reading across 291 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Tartarin of Tarascon section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 9 chapters of Tartarin of Tarascon 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 Tartarin of Tarascon

Words and structures a reader meets early in Tartarin of Tarascon, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Garden
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tartarin of Tarascon; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Round
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tartarin of Tarascon; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Giant
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tartarin of Tarascon; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Trees
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tartarin of Tarascon; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.