Chapter 1 of The Governors is here in full — 161 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Governors is here in full — 161 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?" Virginia shook her head. "I cannot tell you," she said. "I haven't any words left. It is all so wonderful.
Chapter 1 of The Governors is here in full — 161 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/32 · 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.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading “"Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"”
a low-lying region in central France
From this reading “"Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"”
the act of eating dinner
From this reading “"Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"”
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading “"Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"”
held or filled or in use
From this reading “"Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"”
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading “"Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"”
a state in the eastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies; one of the Confederate States in the American Civil War
From this reading “Virginia shook her head.”
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading “It is all so wonderful.”
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.
(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 "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "I haven't any words left.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I cannot tell you," she said.
a low-lying region in central France
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
the act of eating dinner
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I haven't any words left.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Virginia shook her head.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I cannot tell you," she said.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is all so wonderful.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading "I haven't any words left.
held or filled or in use
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
above and across; more than
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I cannot tell you," she said.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading Virginia shook her head.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It is all so wonderful.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
express in words
From this reading "I cannot tell you," she said.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
a state in the eastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies; one of the Confederate States in the American Civil War
From this reading Virginia shook her head.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading It is all so wonderful.
the words that are spoken
From this reading "I haven't any words left.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Well," he said, smiling kindly at her over the bank of flowers which occupied the centre of the small round table at which they were dining, "what do you think of it all?"
Chapter 1 of The Governors by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim holds 161 sentences, grouped into 33 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 161 sentences of The Governors, unabridged, divided into 33 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Governors by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 161 sentences, grouped into 33 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 33 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 33 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 Governors by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4698 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #10537 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #10537, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 391 minutes of reading across 940 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Governors section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 38 chapters of The Governors 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 Governors, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
