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The Impostor
The Impostor

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Impostor is here in full — 122 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE IMPOSTOR.
Author of "Hawtrey's Deputy," "The Liberationist," "A Sower of Wheat," "The Pioneer," etc.
Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.
There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.
It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Impostor

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Impostor is here in full — 122 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE IMPOSTOR.
/ðə ˌɪmˈpɔːstər/
Line 2
Author of "Hawtrey's Deputy," "The Liberationist," "A Sower of Wheat," "The Pioneer," etc.
Line 3
Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.
Line 4
There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.
/ðer wɑːz noʊ blɪŋk ʌv ˈstɑːrlaɪt ɪn ðə ˈmɜːrki skaɪ ənd ə ˈstɪŋɪŋ waɪnd ðæt keɪm ʌp aʊt ʌv ðə ɡreɪt weɪst ʌv ɡræs moʊnd əˈbaʊt ðə freɪm ˈhaʊsəz ˈklʌstərɪŋ bɪˈsaɪd ðə treɪl ðæt led saʊθ ˈoʊvər ðə ˈlɪmətəd ˈlevəlz tuː ðə ˈreɪlroʊd ənd ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən/
Line 5
It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

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.

blink verb US /blɪŋk/

briefly shut the eyes

From this reading “There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.”

clustering noun US /ˈklʌstərɪŋ/

a grouping of a number of similar things

From this reading “There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.”

murky adjective US /ˈmɜːrki/

(of liquids) clouded as with sediment

From this reading “There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.”

Rancher noun US /ˈræntʃər/

a person who owns or operates a ranch

From this reading “Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.”

ruts noun US /rʌts/

plural of “rut” — a groove or furrow (especially one in soft earth caused by wheels)

From this reading “It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.”

Sower noun US /ˈsoʊər/

someone who sows

From this reading “Author of "Hawtrey's Deputy," "The Liberationist," "A Sower of Wheat," "The Pioneer," etc.”

Toronto noun US /tərˈɑːntoʊ/

the provincial capital and largest city in Ontario (and the largest city in Canada)

From this reading “Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.”

unpaved adjective US /ʌpeɪvd/

not having a paved surface

From this reading “It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.”

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.

iron grip noun + noun

In this reading “Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.”

red glow noun + noun

In this reading “It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.”

stood shivering verb + noun

In this reading “Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.”

into the darkness preposition + article + noun counted as “into … darkness”

In this reading “It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.”

beside the trail preposition + article + noun counted as “beside … trail”

In this reading “There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.”

frame houses verb + noun counted as “frame house”

In this reading “There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.”

came up verb + adjective counted as “come up”

bring forth, usually something desirable

In this reading “There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.”

from the windows preposition + article + noun counted as “from … windows”

In this reading “It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.”

All words in this reading · 114

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.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading Author of "Hawtrey's Deputy," "The Liberationist," "A Sower of Wheat," "The Pioneer," etc.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

AmericannounUS /əˈmerəkən/

a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

Athabasca

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

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

AuthornounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading Author of "Hawtrey's Deputy," "The Liberationist," "A Sower of Wheat," "The Pioneer," etc.

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

bitteradjectiveUS /ˈbɪtər/

marked by strong resentment or cynicism

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

blinkverbUS /blɪŋk/

briefly shut the eyes

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

boundadjectiveUS /baʊnd/

confined by bonds

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

CanadianadjectiveUS /kəˈneɪdiən/

of or relating to Canada or its people

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

chilledverbUS /tʃɪld/

past form of “chill” — depress or discourage

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

civilizationnounUS /ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən/

a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

clusteringnounUS /ˈklʌstərɪŋ/

a grouping of a number of similar things

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

ConounUS /koʊ/

an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

darknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

deepadjectiveUS /diːp/

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

DeputynounUS /ˈdepjəti/

someone authorized to exercise the powers of sheriff in emergencies

From this reading Author of "Hawtrey's Deputy," "The Liberationist," "A Sower of Wheat," "The Pioneer," etc.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

etc

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

From this reading Author of "Hawtrey's Deputy," "The Liberationist," "A Sower of Wheat," "The Pioneer," etc.

expectantlyadverb

in an expectant manner

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

frameverbUS /freɪm/

enclose in or as if in a frame

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

frontiernounUS /frənˈtɪr/

a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

frostnounUS /frɔːst/

ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

fursnounUS /fɜːrz/

plural of “fur” — the dressed hairy coat of a mammal

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

glancingverbUS /ˈɡlænsɪŋ/

-ing form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

glownounUS /ɡloʊ/

an alert and refreshed state

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

grassverbUS /ɡræs/

shoot down, of birds

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

gripnounUS /ɡrɪp/

the act of grasping

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

Hawtrey's

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

From this reading Author of "Hawtrey's Deputy," "The Liberationist," "A Sower of Wheat," "The Pioneer," etc.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

hotelnounUS /hoʊˈtel/

a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

housesnounUS /ˈhaʊsəz/

plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

IMPOSTORnounUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːstər/

a person who makes deceitful pretenses

From this reading THE IMPOSTOR.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

ironnounUS /ˈaɪərn/

a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

landnounUS /lænd/

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

lednounUS /led/

diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

levelsnounUS /ˈlevəlz/

plural of “level” — a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

Liberationist

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

From this reading Author of "Hawtrey's Deputy," "The Liberationist," "A Sower of Wheat," "The Pioneer," etc.

LimitedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪmətəd/

small in range or scope

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

LockverbUS /lɑːk/

fasten with a lock

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

lonelyadjectiveUS /ˈloʊnli/

lacking companions or companionship

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

MelbournenounUS /ˈmelbərn/

a resort town in east central Florida

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

moanedverbUS /moʊnd/

past form of “moan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

murkyadjectiveUS /ˈmɜːrki/

(of liquids) clouded as with sediment

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

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

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

northnounUS /nɔːrθ/

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Author of "Hawtrey's Deputy," "The Liberationist," "A Sower of Wheat," "The Pioneer," etc.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

PioneernounUS /ˌpaɪəˈnɪr/

someone who helps to open up a new line of research or technology or art

From this reading Author of "Hawtrey's Deputy," "The Liberationist," "A Sower of Wheat," "The Pioneer," etc.

ploughedadjectiveUS /plaʊd/

(of farmland) broken and turned over with a plow

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

prairienounUS /ˈpreri/

a treeless grassy plain

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

railroadnounUS /ˈreɪlroʊd/

line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

RanchernounUS /ˈræntʃər/

a person who owns or operates a ranch

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

runsnounUS /rʌnz/

plural of “run” — a score in baseball made by a runner touching all four bases safely

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

rutsnounUS /rʌts/

plural of “rut” — a groove or furrow (especially one in soft earth caused by wheels)

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

settlementnounUS /ˈsetəlmənt/

a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

shiveringnounUS /ˈʃɪvərɪŋ/

a sensation of cold that often marks the start of an infection and the development of a fever

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

snownounUS /snoʊ/

precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

sodnounUS /sɑːd/

surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

somewhatadverbUS /ˈsʌmˈwʌt/

to a small degree or extent

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

southnounUS /saʊθ/

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

SowernounUS /ˈsoʊər/

someone who sows

From this reading Author of "Hawtrey's Deputy," "The Liberationist," "A Sower of Wheat," "The Pioneer," etc.

starlightnounUS /ˈstɑːrlaɪt/

the light of the stars

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

stingingnounUS /ˈstɪŋɪŋ/

a kind of pain; something as sudden and painful as being stung

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

streetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

strodeverbUS /stroʊd/

inflected form of “stride” — walk with long steps

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

tatteredadjectiveUS /ˈtætərd/

worn to shreds; or wearing torn or ragged clothing

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE IMPOSTOR.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

TorontonounUS /tərˈɑːntoʊ/

the provincial capital and largest city in Ontario (and the largest city in Canada)

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

trailnounUS /treɪl/

a track or mark left by something that has passed

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

unpavedadjectiveUS /ʌpeɪvd/

not having a paved surface

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

WardnounUS /wɔːrd/

a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

warmadjectiveUS /wɔːrm/

having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

wastenounUS /weɪst/

any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

WheatnounUS /wiːt/

annual or biennial grass having erect flower spikes and light brown grains

From this reading Author of "Hawtrey's Deputy," "The Liberationist," "A Sower of Wheat," "The Pioneer," etc.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

windnounUS /waɪnd/

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading There was no blink of starlight in the murky sky, and a stinging wind that came up out of the great waste of grass moaned about the frame houses clustering beside the trail that led south over the limited levels to the railroad and civilization.

windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

Witham

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

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

woodenadjectiveUS /ˈwʊdən/

made or consisting of (entirely or in part) or employing wood

From this reading It chilled Witham through his somewhat tattered furs, and he strode up and down, glancing expectantly into the darkness, and then across the unpaved street, where the ruts were ploughed a foot deep in the prairie sod, towards the warm, red glow from the windows of the wooden hotel.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Ward, Lock & Co., Limited London, Melbourne and Toronto It was a bitter night, for although there was no snow as yet, the frost had bound the prairie in its iron grip, when Rancher Witham stood shivering in a little Canadian settlement in the great, lonely land which runs north from the American frontier to Athabasca.

Chapter 1 of The Impostor by Harold Bindloss holds 122 sentences, grouped into 25 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 Impostor contain?

Chapter 1 holds 122 sentences of The Impostor, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Impostor by Harold Bindloss exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 122 sentences, grouped into 25 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 Impostor?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 Impostor

Common questions about reading The Impostor by Harold Bindloss on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Impostor?

Yes. All 5082 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #39698 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Impostor is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #39698, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Impostor take to read?

About 423 minutes of reading across 1017 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Impostor section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of The Impostor 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 Impostor

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

Impostor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Impostor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Impostor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hawtrey's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Impostor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Deputy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Impostor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.