Chapter 1 of The Freaks of Mayfair is here in full — 456 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Freaks of Mayfair is here in full — 456 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc. XI. ‘SING FOR YOUR DINNER’ 199 XII. THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1. THE COMPLEAT SNOBS _Frontispiece_ 2.
Chapter 1 of The Freaks of Mayfair is here in full — 456 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/91 · 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.
someone whose style is out of fashion
From this reading “BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.”
plural of “drawing” — an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper
From this reading “THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.”
plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive
From this reading “THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.”
(Old Testament) the guardian archangel of the Jews
From this reading “BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.”
cover with planks
From this reading “THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.”
past form of “reproduce” — make a copy or equivalent of
plural of “snob” — a person regarded as arrogant and annoying
From this reading “THE COMPLEAT SNOBS _Frontispiece_ 2.”
usually herbivorous land turtles having clawed elephant-like limbs; worldwide in arid area except Australia and Antarctica
From this reading “BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.”
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.
In this reading “THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘SING FOR YOUR DINNER’ 199 XII.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COMPLEAT SNOBS _Frontispiece_ 2.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COMPLEAT SNOBS _Frontispiece_ 2.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading ‘SING FOR YOUR DINNER’ 199 XII.
someone whose style is out of fashion
From this reading BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.
plural of “drawing” — an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper
From this reading THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.
a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body
From this reading BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.
a degree on the Fahrenheit scale of temperature
From this reading BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading ‘SING FOR YOUR DINNER’ 199 XII.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.
an ornamental facade
From this reading THE COMPLEAT SNOBS _Frontispiece_ 2.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.
plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive
From this reading THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.
give or make a list of; name individually; give the names of
From this reading THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.
(Old Testament) the guardian archangel of the Jews
From this reading BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.
cover with planks
From this reading THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.
past form of “reproduce” — make a copy or equivalent of
From this reading THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.
deliver by singing
From this reading ‘SING FOR YOUR DINNER’ 199 XII.
plural of “snob” — a person regarded as arrogant and annoying
From this reading THE COMPLEAT SNOBS _Frontispiece_ 2.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading THE PRAISERS OF PAST TIME 217 THE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _reproduced from drawings by_ GEORGE PLANK 1.
usually herbivorous land turtles having clawed elephant-like limbs; worldwide in arid area except Australia and Antarctica
From this reading BY E. F. BENSON AUTHOR OF “THE TORTOISE,” “MICHAEL,” “DODO,” etc.
the cardinal number that is the sum of ten and one
From this reading XI.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading ‘SING FOR YOUR DINNER’ 199 XII.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading ‘SING FOR YOUR DINNER’ 199 XII.
Chapter 1 of The Freaks of Mayfair by E. F. (Edward Frederic) Benson holds 456 sentences, grouped into 92 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 1 holds 456 sentences of The Freaks of Mayfair, unabridged, divided into 92 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Freaks of Mayfair by E. F. (Edward Frederic) Benson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 456 sentences, grouped into 92 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 92 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 92 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 Freaks of Mayfair by E. F. (Edward Frederic) Benson on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1374 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #57006 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #57006, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 114 minutes of reading across 275 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Freaks of Mayfair section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 3 chapters of The Freaks of Mayfair 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 Freaks of Mayfair, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
