Chapter 1 of The Human Boy is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Human Boy is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects. Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_. Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation. AUTHOR OF “CHILDREN OF THE MIST” “FOLLY AND FRESH AIR” ETC. I remember the very evening he came to Merivale.
Chapter 1 of The Human Boy is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/85 · 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.
get or ask advice from
From this reading “Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.”
plural of “issue” — an important question that is in dispute and must be settled
From this reading “Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.”
a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right
plural of “italic” — a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right
From this reading “Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_.”
take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to
From this reading “This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.”
of or relating to or based on a text
From this reading “Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.”
relating to or occurring or used in typography
From this reading “This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.”
an interpretation of a matter from a particular viewpoint
From this reading “This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.”
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 “AUTHOR OF “CHILDREN OF THE MIST” “FOLLY AND FRESH AIR” ETC.”
In this reading “Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.”
In this reading “I remember the very evening he came to Merivale.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading AUTHOR OF “CHILDREN OF THE MIST” “FOLLY AND FRESH AIR” ETC.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AUTHOR OF “CHILDREN OF THE MIST” “FOLLY AND FRESH AIR” ETC.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading AUTHOR OF “CHILDREN OF THE MIST” “FOLLY AND FRESH AIR” ETC.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading I remember the very evening he came to Merivale.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading AUTHOR OF “CHILDREN OF THE MIST” “FOLLY AND FRESH AIR” ETC.
get or ask advice from
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
having the limits or boundaries established
From this reading Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_.
an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
property of a personal character that is portable but not used in business
From this reading This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.
past form of “encounter” — come together
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AUTHOR OF “CHILDREN OF THE MIST” “FOLLY AND FRESH AIR” ETC.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading I remember the very evening he came to Merivale.
the trait of acting stupidly or rashly
From this reading AUTHOR OF “CHILDREN OF THE MIST” “FOLLY AND FRESH AIR” ETC.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading AUTHOR OF “CHILDREN OF THE MIST” “FOLLY AND FRESH AIR” ETC.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I remember the very evening he came to Merivale.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I remember the very evening he came to Merivale.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
plural of “issue” — an important question that is in dispute and must be settled
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right
From this reading Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_.
plural of “italic” — a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right
From this reading Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I remember the very evening he came to Merivale.
become covered with mist
From this reading AUTHOR OF “CHILDREN OF THE MIST” “FOLLY AND FRESH AIR” ETC.
a brief written record
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
To recall to mind.
From this reading I remember the very evening he came to Merivale.
take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to
From this reading This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.
the words of something written
From this reading This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.
of or relating to or based on a text
From this reading Please consult the note at the end of this text for a discussion of any textual issues encountered in its preparation.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I remember the very evening he came to Merivale.
relating to or occurring or used in typography
From this reading This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.
an interpretation of a matter from a particular viewpoint
From this reading This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.
precisely as stated
From this reading I remember the very evening he came to Merivale.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_.
Chapter 1 of The Human Boy by Eden Phillpotts holds 429 sentences, grouped into 86 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 429 sentences of The Human Boy, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Human Boy by Eden Phillpotts exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 429 sentences, grouped into 86 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 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 86 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 Human Boy by Eden Phillpotts on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2173 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #54270 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #54270, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 181 minutes of reading across 435 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Human Boy section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 5 chapters of The Human Boy 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 Human Boy, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
