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The City of Fire
The City of Fire

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The City of Fire is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The City of Fire
Context Illustration Reading 70/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.
Mark wants to be a young God.
When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.
Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?
Don't you remember, Mary?
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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 City of Fire

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The City of Fire is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 70/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 346–350

Line 1
It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.
Line 2
Mark wants to be a young God.
/mɑːrk wɑːnts tuː biː ə jʌŋ ɡɑːd/
Line 3
When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.
Line 4
Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?
Line 5
Don't you remember, Mary?

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.

acquiescence noun US /ˌækwiˈesəns/

acceptance without protest

From this reading “Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?”

Bliss noun US /blɪs/

a state of extreme happiness

From this reading “Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?”

defiance noun US /dɪˈfaɪəns/

intentionally contemptuous behavior or attitude

From this reading “When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.”

defiantly adverb US /dɪˈfaɪəntli/

in a rebellious manner

From this reading “Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?”

elders noun US /ˈeldərz/

plural of “elder” — a person who is older than you are

From this reading “Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?”

finds noun US /faɪndz/

plural of “find” — a productive insight

From this reading “When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.”

folded verb US /ˈfoʊldəd/

past form of “fold” — bend or lay so that one part covers the other

From this reading “Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?”

memorial noun US /məˈmɔːriəl/

a recognition of meritorious service

From this reading “Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?”

All words in this reading · 86

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 Mark wants to be a young God.

acquiescencenounUS /ˌækwiˈesəns/

acceptance without protest

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

AirnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

begunverbUS /bɪˈɡʌn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

BlissnounUS /blɪs/

a state of extreme happiness

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

BobverbUS /bɑːb/

move up and down repeatedly

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

bowedadjectiveUS /baʊd/

of a stringed instrument; sounded by stroking with a bow

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

brokeadjectiveUS /broʊk/

lacking funds

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

churchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

defiancenounUS /dɪˈfaɪəns/

intentionally contemptuous behavior or attitude

From this reading When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.

defiantlyadverbUS /dɪˈfaɪəntli/

in a rebellious manner

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

devilnounUS /ˈdevəl/

(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell

From this reading When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

Don't

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

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

eldersnounUS /ˈeldərz/

plural of “elder” — a person who is older than you are

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

else

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

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

findsnounUS /faɪndz/

plural of “find” — a productive insight

From this reading When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.

fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

foldedverbUS /ˈfoʊldəd/

past form of “fold” — bend or lay so that one part covers the other

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

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

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.

he's

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

From this reading When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

how

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

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

liftedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪftəd/

held up in the air

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

makesnounUS /meɪks/

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

MarkverbUS /mɑːrk/

attach a tag or label to

From this reading Mark wants to be a young God.

MarynounUS /ˈmeri/

the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

memorialnounUS /məˈmɔːriəl/

a recognition of meritorious service

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

PowernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

PrincenounUS /prɪns/

a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

punishmentnounUS /ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/

the act of punishing

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

shouldersnounUS /ˈʃoʊldərz/

plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

wantedadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːntɪd/

desired or wished for or sought

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

wantsnounUS /wɑːnts/

plural of “want” — a state of extreme poverty

From this reading Mark wants to be a young God.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading When he finds he's not taken that way he makes himself look like the devil in defiance.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading It makes me think of nothing else but when the Prince of the Power of the Air wanted to be God.

windownounUS /ˈwɪndoʊ/

a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

yesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Don't you remember, Mary, how when Bob Bliss broke that memorial window in the church and said it was Mark did it, how Mark stood looking, defiantly from one to another of us to see if we would believe it, and when he found the elders were all against him and had begun to get ready for punishment, he lifted his fine young shoulders, and folded his arms, and just bowed in acquiescence, as if to say yes, he had done it?

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Mark wants to be a young God.

Chapter 1 of The City of Fire by Grace Livingston Hill holds 423 sentences, grouped into 85 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 Fire contain?

Chapter 1 holds 423 sentences of The City of Fire, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The City of Fire by Grace Livingston Hill exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 423 sentences, grouped into 85 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 Fire?

Work through the 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 85 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 Fire

Common questions about reading The City of Fire by Grace Livingston Hill on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The City of Fire?

Yes. All 6645 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #7008 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The City of Fire is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #7008, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The City of Fire take to read?

About 553 minutes of reading across 1329 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The City of Fire section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 16 chapters of The City of Fire 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 Fire

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

Renumbered
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The City of Fire; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chapters
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The City of Fire; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Beginning
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The City of Fire; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chapter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The City of Fire; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.