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The Champagne Standard
The Champagne Standard

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Champagne Standard is here in full — 430 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By John, Mrs. Lane • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Champagne Standard
Context Illustration Reading 1/86 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
See http://
London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.
U.S.A.
I was sitting alone with a lead-pencil, having a _tête-à-tête_ with a sheet of paper.
A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.
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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.

The Champagne Standard

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Champagne Standard is here in full — 430 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/86 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
See http://
/siː ˌeɪtʃtiːtiːˈpiː/
Line 2
London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.
Line 3
U.S.A.
Line 4
I was sitting alone with a lead-pencil, having a _tête-à-tête_ with a sheet of paper.
Line 5
A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.
/ə brɪsk ˈfaɪər bɜːrnd ɑːn ðə hɑːrθ ənd θruː ðə ˈbiːtɪŋ ʌv ðə reɪn əˈɡenst ðə ˈlɪtəl kɜːrvd ˈdʒɔːrdʒən ˈwɪndoʊz aɪ kʊd hiːr ðə məˈnɑːtənəs roʊl ʌv ðə siː æt ðə fʊt ʌv ðə ˈneroʊ striːt ənd ðə ter ənd ˈkrʌntʃɪŋ ʌv ðə ˈpebəlz daʊn ðə ˈʃɪŋɡəl æz ðə weɪvz rəˈsiːdɪd/

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.

brisk adjective US /brɪsk/

quick and energetic

From this reading “A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
crunching verb US /ˈkrʌntʃɪŋ/

-ing form of “crunch” — make a crushing noise

From this reading “A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
curved adjective US /kɜːrvd/

having or marked by a curve or smoothly rounded bend

From this reading “A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Georgian noun US /ˈdʒɔːrdʒən/

a native or resident of the American state of Georgia

From this reading “A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
http noun US /ˌeɪtʃtiːtiːˈpiː/

a protocol (utilizing TCP) to transfer hypertext requests and information between servers and browsers

From this reading “See http://”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pebbles noun US /ˈpebəlz/

plural of “pebble” — a small smooth rounded rock

From this reading “A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
receded verb US /rəˈsiːdɪd/

past form of “recede” — pull back or move away or backward

From this reading “A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shingle noun US /ˈʃɪŋɡəl/

building material used as siding or roofing

From this reading “A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

narrow street verb + noun

In this reading “A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.”

3,417 times in 426,211 chapters
fire burned verb + adjective

In this reading “A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.”

1,252 times in 426,211 chapters
on the hearth preposition + article + noun counted as “on … hearth”

In this reading “A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.”

3,759 times in 426,211 chapters
roll of verb + particle

In this reading “A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.”

9,584 times in 426,211 chapters
at the foot preposition + article + noun counted as “at … foot”

In this reading “A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.”

24,925 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 61

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 U.S.A.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading I was sitting alone with a lead-pencil, having a _tête-à-tête_ with a sheet of paper.

Velmora curated lexicon
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beatingnounUS /ˈbiːtɪŋ/

the act of overcoming or outdoing

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Bodley

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

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

Pending verification
briskadjectiveUS /brɪsk/

quick and energetic

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
burnedadjectiveUS /bɜːrnd/

treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CompanynounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
crunchingverbUS /ˈkrʌntʃɪŋ/

-ing form of “crunch” — make a crushing noise

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
curvedadjectiveUS /kɜːrvd/

having or marked by a curve or smoothly rounded bend

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
GeorgiannounUS /ˈdʒɔːrdʒən/

a native or resident of the American state of Georgia

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading I was sitting alone with a lead-pencil, having a _tête-à-tête_ with a sheet of paper.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HeadnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hearthnounUS /hɑːrθ/

an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
httpnounUS /ˌeɪtʃtiːtiːˈpiː/

a protocol (utilizing TCP) to transfer hypertext requests and information between servers and browsers

From this reading See http://

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I was sitting alone with a lead-pencil, having a _tête-à-tête_ with a sheet of paper.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
JohnnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LanenounUS /leɪn/

a narrow way or road

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lead-pencil

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

From this reading I was sitting alone with a lead-pencil, having a _tête-à-tête_ with a sheet of paper.

Pending verification
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MassnounUS /mæs/

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

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MDCCCCV

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

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

Pending verification
monotonousadjectiveUS /məˈnɑːtənəs/

tediously repetitious or lacking in variety

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
narrowverbUS /ˈneroʊ/

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Norwood

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

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

Pending verification
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I was sitting alone with a lead-pencil, having a _tête-à-tête_ with a sheet of paper.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading I was sitting alone with a lead-pencil, having a _tête-à-tête_ with a sheet of paper.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pebblesnounUS /ˈpebəlz/

plural of “pebble” — a small smooth rounded rock

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Plimpton

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

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

Pending verification
PressverbUS /pres/

exert pressure or force to or upon

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rainnounUS /reɪn/

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
recededverbUS /rəˈsiːdɪd/

past form of “recede” — pull back or move away or backward

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rollverbUS /roʊl/

move by turning over or rotating

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SnounUS /es/

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

From this reading U.S.A.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SeeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading See http://

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sheetnounUS /ʃiːt/

any broad thin expanse or surface

From this reading I was sitting alone with a lead-pencil, having a _tête-à-tête_ with a sheet of paper.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shinglenounUS /ˈʃɪŋɡəl/

building material used as siding or roofing

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading I was sitting alone with a lead-pencil, having a _tête-à-tête_ with a sheet of paper.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
streetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tearverbUS /ter/

separate or cause to separate abruptly

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tête-à-tête

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

From this reading I was sitting alone with a lead-pencil, having a _tête-à-tête_ with a sheet of paper.

Pending verification
UnounUS /juː/

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

From this reading U.S.A.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading I was sitting alone with a lead-pencil, having a _tête-à-tête_ with a sheet of paper.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wavesnounUS /weɪvz/

plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading A brisk fire burned on the hearth, and through the beating of the rain against the little, curved Georgian windows I could hear the monotonous roll of the sea at the foot of the narrow street, and the tear and crunching of the pebbles down the shingle as the waves receded.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I was sitting alone with a lead-pencil, having a _tête-à-tête_ with a sheet of paper.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
YorknounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading London: John Lane, The Bodley Head New York: John Lane Company MDCCCCV The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 1 of The Champagne Standard by John, Mrs. Lane holds 430 sentences, grouped into 86 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 Champagne Standard contain?

Chapter 1 holds 430 sentences of The Champagne Standard, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Champagne Standard by John, Mrs. Lane exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 430 sentences, grouped into 86 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 Champagne Standard?

Work through the 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 86 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 Champagne Standard

Common questions about reading The Champagne Standard by John, Mrs. Lane on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Champagne Standard?

Yes. All 2637 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #41820 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Champagne Standard is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #41820, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Champagne Standard take to read?

About 219 minutes of reading across 528 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Champagne Standard section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 6 chapters of The Champagne Standard 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 The Champagne Standard

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

London
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Champagne Standard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bodley
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Champagne Standard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Company
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Champagne Standard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mdccccv
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Champagne Standard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.