The Believing Years

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Believing Years is here in full — 90 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Edmund Lester Pearson • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for The Believing Years

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

--Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.

--Bold text has been enclosed in equal signs: =bold text=.

Set up and electrotyped.

Published October, 1911.

_Norwood Press_ _J. S. Cushing Co.--Berwick & Smith Co._ _Norwood, Mass., U.S.A._ "E'en as he trod that day to God so walked he from his birth, In simpleness and gentleness and honor and clean mirth."

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 1/18

The Believing Years

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Believing Years is here in full — 90 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

--Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.

/ˈɑːbviəs prɪnt ənd ˌpʌŋktʃuːˈeɪʃən ˈerərz wɜːr kərˈektəd/

Line 2

--Bold text has been enclosed in equal signs: =bold text=.

/boʊld tekst hæz bɪn enˈkloʊzd ɪn ˈiːkwəl saɪnz boʊld tekst/

Line 3

Set up and electrotyped.

Line 4

Published October, 1911.

Line 5

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.

corrected adjective US /kərˈektəd/

having something undesirable neutralized

From this reading “--Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.”

Cushing noun US /ˈkʊʃɪŋ/

United States neurologist noted for his study of the brain and pituitary gland and who identified Cushing's syndrome (1869-1939)

From this reading “_Norwood Press_ _J. S. Cushing Co.--Berwick & Smith Co._ _Norwood, Mass., U.S.A._ "E'en as he trod that day to God so walked he from his birth, In simpleness and gentleness and honor and clean mirth."”

enclosed adjective US /enˈkloʊzd/

closed in or surrounded or included within

From this reading “--Bold text has been enclosed in equal signs: =bold text=.”

errors noun US /ˈerərz/

plural of “error” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading “--Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.”

gentleness noun US /ˈdʒentəlnəs/

the property possessed by a slope that is very gradual

mirth noun US /mɜːrθ/

great merriment

punctuation noun US /ˌpʌŋktʃuːˈeɪʃən/

something that makes repeated and regular interruptions or divisions

From this reading “--Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.”

trod verb US /trɑːd/

inflected form of “tread” — put down or press the foot, place the foot

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.

Set up verb + adjective

set up or found

In this reading “Set up and electrotyped.”

All words in this reading · 50

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.

1911

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

From this reading Published October, 1911.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading _Norwood Press_ _J. S. Cushing Co.--Berwick & Smith Co._ _Norwood, Mass., U.S.A._ "E'en as he trod that day to God so walked he from his birth, In simpleness and gentleness and honor and clean mirth."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading --Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading --Bold text has been enclosed in equal signs: =bold text=.

Berwick

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

birthnounUS /bɜːrθ/

the time when something begins (especially life)

BoldadjectiveUS /boʊld/

fearless and daring

From this reading --Bold text has been enclosed in equal signs: =bold text=.

cleanadjectiveUS /kliːn/

free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits

ConounUS /koʊ/

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

correctedadjectiveUS /kərˈektəd/

having something undesirable neutralized

From this reading --Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.

CushingnounUS /ˈkʊʃɪŋ/

United States neurologist noted for his study of the brain and pituitary gland and who identified Cushing's syndrome (1869-1939)

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

E'enadverb

even

electrotyped

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

From this reading Set up and electrotyped.

enclosedadjectiveUS /enˈkloʊzd/

closed in or surrounded or included within

From this reading --Bold text has been enclosed in equal signs: =bold text=.

equalverbUS /ˈiːkwəl/

be identical or equivalent to

From this reading --Bold text has been enclosed in equal signs: =bold text=.

errorsnounUS /ˈerərz/

plural of “error” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading --Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

gentlenessnounUS /ˈdʒentəlnəs/

the property possessed by a slope that is very gradual

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading --Bold text has been enclosed in equal signs: =bold text=.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

honornounUS /ˈɑːnər/

a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading --Bold text has been enclosed in equal signs: =bold text=.

JnounUS /dʒeɪ/

a unit of electrical energy equal to the work done when a current of one ampere passes through a resistance of one ohm for one second

MassnounUS /mæs/

the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field

mirthnounUS /mɜːrθ/

great merriment

Norwood

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

ObviousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːbviəs/

easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind

From this reading --Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.

OctobernounUS /ɑːkˈtoʊbər/

the month following September and preceding November

From this reading Published October, 1911.

PressverbUS /pres/

exert pressure or force to or upon

printnounUS /prɪnt/

the text appearing in a book, newspaper, or other printed publication

From this reading --Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.

PublishedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌblɪʃt/

prepared and printed for distribution and sale

From this reading Published October, 1911.

punctuationnounUS /ˌpʌŋktʃuːˈeɪʃən/

something that makes repeated and regular interruptions or divisions

From this reading --Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.

SnounUS /es/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

SetverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Set up and electrotyped.

signsnounUS /saɪnz/

plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)

From this reading --Bold text has been enclosed in equal signs: =bold text=.

simplenessnoun

a lack of penetration or subtlety

SmithnounUS /smɪθ/

Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

textnounUS /tekst/

the words of something written

From this reading --Bold text has been enclosed in equal signs: =bold text=.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

trodverbUS /trɑːd/

inflected form of “tread” — put down or press the foot, place the foot

UnounUS /juː/

a base containing nitrogen that is found in RNA (but not in DNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Set up and electrotyped.

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading --Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.

Chapter 1 of The Believing Years by Edmund Lester Pearson holds 90 sentences, grouped into 18 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 The Believing Years contain?

Chapter 1 holds 90 sentences of The Believing Years, unabridged, divided into 18 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Believing Years by Edmund Lester Pearson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 90 sentences, grouped into 18 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 The Believing Years?

Work through the 18 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 18 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 The Believing Years

Common questions about reading The Believing Years by Edmund Lester Pearson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Believing Years?

Yes. All 2696 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #46712 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Believing Years is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #46712, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Believing Years take to read?

About 224 minutes of reading across 540 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Believing Years section by section

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

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Vocabulary met early in The Believing Years

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Believing Years, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Obvious: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Believing Years; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Print: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Believing Years; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Punctuation: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Believing Years; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Errors: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Believing Years; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter I

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