Chapter 1 of The blind lion of the Congo is here in full — 192 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The blind lion of the Congo is here in full — 192 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago THE REILLY & BRITTON CO. "What's on for to-night, Burt?" Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton. The latter was a boy of seventeen. Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.
Chapter 1 of The blind lion of the Congo is here in full — 192 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/38 · 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.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading “Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.”
a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; “Great Britain” is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom
From this reading “Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.”
English psychologist whose studies of twins were later said to have used fabricated data (1883-1971)
From this reading “"What's on for to-night, Burt?"”
English explorer who with John Speke was the first European to explore Lake Tanganyika (1821-1890)
From this reading “Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.”
a New England state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading “Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.”
past form of “denote” — be a sign or indication of
From this reading “Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.”
a business engaged in manufacturing some product
From this reading “Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.”
having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
From this reading “Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.”
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.
the dining table where dinner is served and eaten
In this reading “Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.”
be oriented in a certain direction
In this reading “Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.”
In this reading “Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.”
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 Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
how long something has existed
From this reading Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
a youthful male person
From this reading The latter was a boy of seventeen.
a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; “Great Britain” is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago THE REILLY & BRITTON CO.
English psychologist whose studies of twins were later said to have used fabricated data (1883-1971)
From this reading "What's on for to-night, Burt?"
English explorer who with John Speke was the first European to explore Lake Tanganyika (1821-1890)
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
largest city in Illinois; a bustling Great Lakes port that extends 26 miles along the southwestern shoreline of Lake Michigan
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago THE REILLY & BRITTON CO.
an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago THE REILLY & BRITTON CO.
a New England state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
past form of “denote” — be a sign or indication of
From this reading Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "What's on for to-night, Burt?"
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)
From this reading The latter was a boy of seventeen.
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago THE REILLY & BRITTON CO.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
a business engaged in manufacturing some product
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "What's on for to-night, Burt?"
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago THE REILLY & BRITTON CO.
being one more than sixteen
From this reading The latter was a boy of seventeen.
a male human offspring
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
a detailed critical inspection
From this reading Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.
having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
From this reading Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Mr. St. John, a large automobile manufacturer of New Britain, Connecticut, looked across the dinner table at his son Burton.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago THE REILLY & BRITTON CO.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What's on for to-night, Burt?"
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The latter was a boy of seventeen.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Although he was sturdy for his age, his features were pale and denoted hard study.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What's on for to-night, Burt?"
Chapter 1 of The blind lion of the Congo by Elliott Whitney holds 192 sentences, grouped into 39 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 192 sentences of The blind lion of the Congo, unabridged, divided into 39 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The blind lion of the Congo by Elliott Whitney exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 192 sentences, grouped into 39 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 39 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 39 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 The blind lion of the Congo by Elliott Whitney on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3820 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #32508 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #32508, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 318 minutes of reading across 764 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The blind lion of the Congo section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 20 chapters of The blind lion of the Congo 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 The blind lion of the Congo, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
