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The City of Beautiful Nonsense
The City of Beautiful Nonsense

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The City of Beautiful Nonsense is here in full — 57 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By E. Temple (Ernest Temple) Thurston • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The City of Beautiful Nonsense
Context Illustration Reading 1/11 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
AUTHOR OF "The Apple of Eden," "Mirage," etc.
_Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.
Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.
It was half-past seven in the evening.
At half-past seven it is dark, the lamps are lighted, the houses huddle together in groups.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 City of Beautiful Nonsense

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The City of Beautiful Nonsense is here in full — 57 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/11 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
AUTHOR OF "The Apple of Eden," "Mirage," etc.
Line 2
_Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.
Line 3
Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.
Line 4
It was half-past seven in the evening.
Line 5
At half-past seven it is dark, the lamps are lighted, the houses huddle together in groups.

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.

Apple noun US /ˈæpəl/

fruit with red or yellow or green skin and sweet to tart crisp whitish flesh

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "The Apple of Eden," "Mirage," etc.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Dedicated adjective US /ˈdedəkeɪtəd/

devoted to a cause or ideal or purpose

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Eden noun US /ˈiːdən/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "The Apple of Eden," "Mirage," etc.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eighteenth adjective US /eɪˈtiːnθ/

coming next after the seventeenth in position

From this reading “Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
huddle verb US /ˈhʌdəl/

crowd or draw together

From this reading “At half-past seven it is dark, the lamps are lighted, the houses huddle together in groups.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
indebted adjective US /ˌɪnˈdetɪd/

owing gratitude or recognition to another for help or favors etc

From this reading “_Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lamps noun US /læmps/

plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination

From this reading “At half-past seven it is dark, the lamps are lighted, the houses huddle together in groups.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Mirage noun US /mərˈɑːʒ/

an optical illusion in which atmospheric refraction by a layer of hot air distorts or inverts reflections of distant objects

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "The Apple of Eden," "Mirage," etc.”

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.

Of course preposition + noun

as might be expected

In this reading “Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.”

307,822 times in 426,211 chapters
in the evening preposition + article + noun counted as “in … evening”

In this reading “It was half-past seven in the evening.”

32,925 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 59

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.

09

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

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Pending verification
18

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

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Pending verification
3

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

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Pending verification
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ApplenounUS /ˈæpəl/

fruit with red or yellow or green skin and sweet to tart crisp whitish flesh

From this reading AUTHOR OF "The Apple of Eden," "Mirage," etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading At half-past seven it is dark, the lamps are lighted, the houses huddle together in groups.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At half-past seven it is dark, the lamps are lighted, the houses huddle together in groups.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AUTHORnounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading AUTHOR OF "The Apple of Eden," "Mirage," etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
booknounUS /bʊk/

a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
creptverbUS /krept/

inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading At half-past seven it is dark, the lamps are lighted, the houses huddle together in groups.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DedicatedadjectiveUS /ˈdedəkeɪtəd/

devoted to a cause or ideal or purpose

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EdennounUS /ˈiːdən/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading AUTHOR OF "The Apple of Eden," "Mirage," etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eighteenthadjectiveUS /eɪˈtiːnθ/

coming next after the seventeenth in position

From this reading Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
etc

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF "The Apple of Eden," "Mirage," etc.

Pending verification
eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading It was half-past seven in the evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fellverbUS /fel/

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FILIPPI

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

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Pending verification
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
giftnounUS /ɡɪft/

something acquired without compensation

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
groupsnounUS /ɡruːps/

plural of “group” — any number of entities (members) considered as a unit

From this reading At half-past seven it is dark, the lamps are lighted, the houses huddle together in groups.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
half-past

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

From this reading It was half-past seven in the evening.

Pending verification
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
housesnounUS /ˈhaʊsəz/

plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading At half-past seven it is dark, the lamps are lighted, the houses huddle together in groups.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
huddleverbUS /ˈhʌdəl/

crowd or draw together

From this reading At half-past seven it is dark, the lamps are lighted, the houses huddle together in groups.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It was half-past seven in the evening.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
indebtedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdetɪd/

owing gratitude or recognition to another for help or favors etc

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
lampsnounUS /læmps/

plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination

From this reading At half-past seven it is dark, the lamps are lighted, the houses huddle together in groups.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
laughternounUS /ˈlæftər/

the sound of laughing

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lightedadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪtəd/

set afire or burning

From this reading At half-past seven it is dark, the lamps are lighted, the houses huddle together in groups.

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 _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MarchverbUS /mɑːrtʃ/

march in a procession

From this reading Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MiragenounUS /mərˈɑːʒ/

an optical illusion in which atmospheric refraction by a layer of hot air distorts or inverts reflections of distant objects

From this reading AUTHOR OF "The Apple of Eden," "Mirage," etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading AUTHOR OF "The Apple of Eden," "Mirage," etc.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pagesnounUS /ˈpeɪdʒəz/

plural of “page” — one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
questionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ROSINA

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

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Pending verification
sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sevennounUS /ˈsevən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one

From this reading It was half-past seven in the evening.

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 AUTHOR OF "The Apple of Eden," "Mirage," etc.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading At half-past seven it is dark, the lamps are lighted, the houses huddle together in groups.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was half-past seven in the evening.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading Of course, the eighteenth of March--but it is out of the question to say upon which day of the week it fell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading _Dedicated to_ ROSINA FILIPPI, _to whom I am indebted for the gift of laughter which I hope has crept its way into the pages of this book._ LONDON, 18, 3, ’09.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 1 of The City of Beautiful Nonsense by E. Temple (Ernest Temple) Thurston holds 57 sentences, grouped into 12 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 City of Beautiful Nonsense contain?

Chapter 1 holds 57 sentences of The City of Beautiful Nonsense, unabridged, divided into 12 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The City of Beautiful Nonsense by E. Temple (Ernest Temple) Thurston exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 57 sentences, grouped into 12 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 City of Beautiful Nonsense?

Work through the 12 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 12 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 City of Beautiful Nonsense

Common questions about reading The City of Beautiful Nonsense by E. Temple (Ernest Temple) Thurston on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The City of Beautiful Nonsense?

Yes. All 5560 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #41752 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The City of Beautiful Nonsense is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #41752, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The City of Beautiful Nonsense take to read?

About 463 minutes of reading across 1112 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The City of Beautiful Nonsense section by section

How to work through The City of Beautiful Nonsense section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of The City of Beautiful Nonsense 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 City of Beautiful Nonsense

Words and structures a reader meets early in The City of Beautiful Nonsense, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The City of Beautiful Nonsense; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Apple
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The City of Beautiful Nonsense; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mirage
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The City of Beautiful Nonsense; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dedicated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The City of Beautiful Nonsense; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.