Chapter 1 of The Cricket on the Hearth is here in full — 607 sentences across 122 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Cricket on the Hearth is here in full — 607 sentences across 122 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The kettle began it! Don’t tell me what Mrs. Peerybingle said. I know better. Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did. I ought to know, I hope!
Chapter 1 of The Cricket on the Hearth is here in full — 607 sentences across 122 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/121 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “The kettle began it!”
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading “I know better.”
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading “Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.”
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading “I ought to know, I hope!”
a metal pot for stewing or boiling; usually has a lid
From this reading “The kettle began it!”
go away from a place
From this reading “Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.”
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading “I ought to know, I hope!”
anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events
From this reading “Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.”
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.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The kettle began it!
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading I know better.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Don’t tell me what Mrs. Peerybingle said.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading I ought to know, I hope!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I know better.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The kettle began it!
a metal pot for stewing or boiling; usually has a lid
From this reading The kettle began it!
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading I know better.
go away from a place
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Don’t tell me what Mrs. Peerybingle said.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Don’t tell me what Mrs. Peerybingle said.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading I ought to know, I hope!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Don’t tell me what Mrs. Peerybingle said.
anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Don’t tell me what Mrs. Peerybingle said.
express in words
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
express in words
From this reading Don’t tell me what Mrs. Peerybingle said.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The kettle began it!
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Don’t tell me what Mrs. Peerybingle said.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did.
Chapter 1 of The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens holds 607 sentences, grouped into 122 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 1 holds 607 sentences of The Cricket on the Hearth, unabridged, divided into 122 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 607 sentences, grouped into 122 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 122 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 122 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1909 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #678 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #678, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 159 minutes of reading across 382 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Cricket on the Hearth section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 3 chapters of The Cricket on the Hearth to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Cricket on the Hearth, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
