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The Great Quest
The Great Quest

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Great Quest is here in full — 131 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Great Quest
Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.
Rain had fallen in the night, and the air was still fresh and cool.
Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.
Uncle Seth looked up from his ledger as I passed.
"You are prompt to go," said he.
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 Great Quest

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Great Quest is here in full — 131 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.
Line 2
Rain had fallen in the night, and the air was still fresh and cool.
/reɪn hæd ˈfɑːlən ɪn ðə naɪt ənd ðə er wɑːz stɪl freʃ ənd kuːl/
Line 3
Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.
Line 4
Uncle Seth looked up from his ledger as I passed.
/ˈʌŋkəl seθ lʊkt ʌp frʌm hɪz ˈledʒər æz aɪ pæst/
Line 5
"You are prompt to go," said he.
/juː ɑːr prɑːmpt tuː ɡoʊ sed hiː/

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.

donned verb US /dɑːnd/

inflected form of “don” — put clothing on one's body

From this reading “One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.”

flour noun US /ˈflaʊər/

fine powdery foodstuff obtained by grinding and sifting the meal of a cereal grain

From this reading “One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.”

ledger noun US /ˈledʒər/

a record in which commercial accounts are recorded

From this reading “Uncle Seth looked up from his ledger as I passed.”

prompt verb US /prɑːmpt/

give an incentive for action

From this reading “"You are prompt to go," said he.”

Seth noun US /seθ/

(Old Testament) third son of Adam and Eve; given by God in place of the murdered Abel

From this reading “Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.”

slanting adjective US /ˈslæntɪŋ/

having an oblique or slanted direction

From this reading “One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.”

unrolled verb US /ˌʌnˈroʊld/

past form of “unroll” — reverse the winding or twisting of

From this reading “One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.”

wrists noun US /rɪsts/

plural of “wrist” — a joint between the distal end of the radius and the proximal row of carpal bones

From this reading “One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.”

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.

other end adjective + noun

In this reading “Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.”

looked up verb + adjective counted as “look up”

seek information from

In this reading “Uncle Seth looked up from his ledger as I passed.”

go on verb + particle

continue a certain state, condition, or activity

In this reading “Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.”

come down verb + adjective

move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way

In this reading “Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.”

on an errand preposition + article + noun counted as “on … errand”

In this reading “Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.”

charge of verb + particle

In this reading “Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.”

some business adjective + noun

In this reading “Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.”

All words in this reading · 93

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.

1826

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

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

airnounUS /er/

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

From this reading Rain had fallen in the night, and the air was still fresh and cool.

AlthoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading "You are prompt to go," said he.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Uncle Seth looked up from his ledger as I passed.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

brushedadjectiveUS /brʌʃt/

touched lightly in passing; grazed against

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

calmlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːmli/

with self-possession (especially in times of stress)

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

chargeverbUS /tʃɑːrdʒ/

to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

clocknounUS /klɑːk/

a timepiece that shows the time of day

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

clothesnounUS /kloʊðz/

clothing in general

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

coatnounUS /koʊt/

an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

cooladjectiveUS /kuːl/

neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat

From this reading Rain had fallen in the night, and the air was still fresh and cool.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

discussedverbUS /dɪˈskʌst/

past form of “discuss” — to consider or examine in speech or writing

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

donnedverbUS /dɑːnd/

inflected form of “don” — put clothing on one's body

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

errandnounUS /ˈerənd/

a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

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

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

excuseverbUS /ɪksˈkjuːs/

accept an excuse for

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

fallenadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlən/

having dropped by the force of gravity

From this reading Rain had fallen in the night, and the air was still fresh and cool.

flournounUS /ˈflaʊər/

fine powdery foodstuff obtained by grinding and sifting the meal of a cereal grain

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

foreheadnounUS /ˈfɔːrhed/

the part of the face above the eyes

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

freshadjectiveUS /freʃ/

recently made, produced, or harvested

From this reading Rain had fallen in the night, and the air was still fresh and cool.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

gladadjectiveUS /ɡlæd/

showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Rain had fallen in the night, and the air was still fresh and cool.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "You are prompt to go," said he.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Uncle Seth looked up from his ledger as I passed.

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

ledgernounUS /ˈledʒər/

a record in which commercial accounts are recorded

From this reading Uncle Seth looked up from his ledger as I passed.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Uncle Seth looked up from his ledger as I passed.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Rain had fallen in the night, and the air was still fresh and cool.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading Uncle Seth looked up from his ledger as I passed.

promptverbUS /prɑːmpt/

give an incentive for action

From this reading "You are prompt to go," said he.

RainnounUS /reɪn/

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading Rain had fallen in the night, and the air was still fresh and cool.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "You are prompt to go," said he.

SethnounUS /seθ/

(Old Testament) third son of Adam and Eve; given by God in place of the murdered Abel

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

shirt-sleeves

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

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

sixnounUS /sɪks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

slantingadjectiveUS /ˈslæntɪŋ/

having an oblique or slanted direction

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Rain had fallen in the night, and the air was still fresh and cool.

storenounUS /stɔːr/

a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

struckadjectiveUS /strʌk/

(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

summernounUS /ˈsʌmər/

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

sunshinenounUS /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/

the rays of the sun

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

suspicionnounUS /səˈspɪʃən/

an impression that something might be the case

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

sweatnounUS /swet/

salty fluid secreted by sweat glands

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

unclenounUS /ˈʌŋkəl/

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

unlikeadjectiveUS /ənˈlaɪk/

marked by dissimilarity

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

unrolledverbUS /ˌʌnˈroʊld/

past form of “unroll” — reverse the winding or twisting of

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Uncle Seth looked up from his ledger as I passed.

Upham

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

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading Although the clock had but just struck six, I had been at work an hour, and now that my uncle, Seth Upham, had come down to take charge of the store, I was glad that some business discussed the evening before gave me an excuse to go on an errand to the other end of the village.

wristsnounUS /rɪsts/

plural of “wrist” — a joint between the distal end of the radius and the proximal row of carpal bones

From this reading One morning early in the summer of 1826, I brushed the sweat from my forehead and the flour from my clothes, unrolled my shirt-sleeves to my wrists, donned my coat, and, with never a suspicion that that day was to be unlike any other, calmly walked out into the slanting sunshine.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "You are prompt to go," said he.

Chapter 1 of The Great Quest by Charles Boardman Hawes holds 131 sentences, grouped into 27 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 Great Quest contain?

Chapter 1 holds 131 sentences of The Great Quest, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Great Quest by Charles Boardman Hawes exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 131 sentences, grouped into 27 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 Great Quest?

Work through the 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 27 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 Great Quest

Common questions about reading The Great Quest by Charles Boardman Hawes on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Great Quest?

Yes. All 5211 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #40265 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Great Quest is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #40265, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Great Quest take to read?

About 434 minutes of reading across 1043 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Great Quest section by section

How to work through The Great Quest section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 35 chapters of The Great Quest 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 Great Quest

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Great Quest, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Morning
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Great Quest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Early
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Great Quest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Summer
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Great Quest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Brushed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Great Quest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.