Chapter 1 of The Brentons is here in full — 396 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Brentons is here in full — 396 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Author of "A Woman with a Purpose," "The Bridge Builders," etc. THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A. Beginning with Chapter 19 the spelling of Kathryn inexplicably changes to Katherine. The Table of Contents is not contained in the original book. It has been generated for the convenience of the reader.
Chapter 1 of The Brentons is here in full — 396 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/79 · 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.
plural of “builder” — a substance added to soaps or detergents to increase their cleansing action
From this reading “Author of "A Woman with a Purpose," "The Bridge Builders," etc.”
a university in England
From this reading “THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.”
plural of “change” — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
From this reading “Beginning with Chapter 19 the spelling of Kathryn inexplicably changes to Katherine.”
the state of being suitable or opportune
From this reading “It has been generated for the convenience of the reader.”
past form of “generate” — bring into existence
From this reading “It has been generated for the convenience of the reader.”
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading “Beginning with Chapter 19 the spelling of Kathryn inexplicably changes to Katherine.”
forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage
From this reading “Beginning with Chapter 19 the spelling of Kathryn inexplicably changes to Katherine.”
the body of faculty and students at a university
From this reading “THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beginning with Chapter 19 the spelling of Kathryn inexplicably changes to Katherine.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Author of "A Woman with a Purpose," "The Bridge Builders," etc.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading Author of "A Woman with a Purpose," "The Bridge Builders," etc.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It has been generated for the convenience of the reader.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading Beginning with Chapter 19 the spelling of Kathryn inexplicably changes to Katherine.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading The Table of Contents is not contained in the original book.
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
From this reading Author of "A Woman with a Purpose," "The Bridge Builders," etc.
plural of “builder” — a substance added to soaps or detergents to increase their cleansing action
From this reading Author of "A Woman with a Purpose," "The Bridge Builders," etc.
a university in England
From this reading THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.
plural of “change” — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
From this reading Beginning with Chapter 19 the spelling of Kathryn inexplicably changes to Katherine.
a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled
From this reading Beginning with Chapter 19 the spelling of Kathryn inexplicably changes to Katherine.
gotten under control
From this reading The Table of Contents is not contained in the original book.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading The Table of Contents is not contained in the original book.
the state of being suitable or opportune
From this reading It has been generated for the convenience of the reader.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Author of "A Woman with a Purpose," "The Bridge Builders," etc.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It has been generated for the convenience of the reader.
past form of “generate” — bring into existence
From this reading It has been generated for the convenience of the reader.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It has been generated for the convenience of the reader.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Table of Contents is not contained in the original book.
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading Beginning with Chapter 19 the spelling of Kathryn inexplicably changes to Katherine.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Table of Contents is not contained in the original book.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It has been generated for the convenience of the reader.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beginning with Chapter 19 the spelling of Kathryn inexplicably changes to Katherine.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beginning with Chapter 19 the spelling of Kathryn inexplicably changes to Katherine.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The Table of Contents is not contained in the original book.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Author of "A Woman with a Purpose," "The Bridge Builders," etc.
preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed
From this reading The Table of Contents is not contained in the original book.
exert pressure or force to or upon
From this reading THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading Author of "A Woman with a Purpose," "The Bridge Builders," etc.
a person who enjoys reading
From this reading It has been generated for the convenience of the reader.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.
forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage
From this reading Beginning with Chapter 19 the spelling of Kathryn inexplicably changes to Katherine.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading The Table of Contents is not contained in the original book.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Author of "A Woman with a Purpose," "The Bridge Builders," etc.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Beginning with Chapter 19 the spelling of Kathryn inexplicably changes to Katherine.
a base containing nitrogen that is found in RNA (but not in DNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine
From this reading THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.
the body of faculty and students at a university
From this reading THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Author of "A Woman with a Purpose," "The Bridge Builders," etc.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Author of "A Woman with a Purpose," "The Bridge Builders," etc.
Chapter 1 of The Brentons by Anna Chapin Ray holds 396 sentences, grouped into 80 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 396 sentences of The Brentons, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Brentons by Anna Chapin Ray exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 396 sentences, grouped into 80 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 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 80 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 Brentons by Anna Chapin Ray on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6987 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21763 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21763, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 582 minutes of reading across 1398 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Brentons section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 17 chapters of The Brentons 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 Brentons, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
