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The Life and Most Surprising Adventures
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Life and Most Surprising Adventures is here in full — 411 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Life and Most Surprising Adventures
Context Illustration Reading 34/82 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.
If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.
And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.
My charity teaches me better.
Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."
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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 Life and Most Surprising Adventures

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Life and Most Surprising Adventures is here in full — 411 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 34/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 166–170

Line 1
Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.
/ˈevəri θɪŋ ʃæl biː dɪˈlɪvərd tuː juː wen juː kʌm tuː brəˈzɪl/
Line 2
If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.
/ɪf aɪ hæv seɪvd jɔːr laɪf ɪt ɪz noʊ mɔːr ðæn aɪ ʃʊd ɪkˈspekt tuː rəˈsiːv ˌmaɪˈself frʌm ˈeni ˈʌðər wen ɪn ðə seɪm ˈsɜːrkəmstænsəz aɪ ʃʊd ˈhæpən tuː miːt ðə laɪk dɪˈlɪvərəns/
Line 3
And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.
/ənd ʃʊd aɪ teɪk frʌm juː wʌt juː hæv ənd liːv juː æt brəˈzɪl waɪ ðɪs wʊd biː ˈoʊnli ˈteɪkɪŋ əˈweɪ ə laɪf aɪ hæd ˈɡɪvən/
Line 4
My charity teaches me better.
/maɪ ˈtʃerɪti ˈtiːtʃəz miː ˈbetər/
Line 5
Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."
/ðoʊz ɪˈfekts juː hæv wɪl səˈpɔːrt juː ðer ənd prəˈvaɪd juː ə ˈpæsədʒ hoʊm əˈɡen/

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.

Brazil noun US /brəˈzɪl/

the largest Latin American country and the largest Portuguese speaking country in the world; located in the central and northeastern part of South America; world's leading coffee exporter

From this reading “Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.”

charity noun US /ˈtʃerɪti/

a foundation created to promote the public good (not for assistance to any particular individuals)

From this reading “My charity teaches me better.”

deliverance noun US /dɪˈlɪvərəns/

recovery or preservation from loss or danger

From this reading “If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.”

delivered verb US /dɪˈlɪvərd/

past form of “deliver” — deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)

From this reading “Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.”

effects noun US /ɪˈfekts/

property of a personal character that is portable but not used in business

From this reading “Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."”

provide verb US /prəˈvaɪd/

give something useful or necessary to

From this reading “Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."”

support noun US /səˈpɔːrt/

the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities

From this reading “Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."”

teaches noun US /ˈtiːtʃəz/

plural of “teach” — an English pirate who operated in the Caribbean and off the Atlantic coast of North America (died in 1718)

From this reading “My charity teaches me better.”

All words in this reading · 64

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 And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading My charity teaches me better.

BrazilnounUS /brəˈzɪl/

the largest Latin American country and the largest Portuguese speaking country in the world; located in the central and northeastern part of South America; world's leading coffee exporter

From this reading Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.

charitynounUS /ˈtʃerɪti/

a foundation created to promote the public good (not for assistance to any particular individuals)

From this reading My charity teaches me better.

circumstancesnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəmstænsəz/

your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.

deliverancenounUS /dɪˈlɪvərəns/

recovery or preservation from loss or danger

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

deliveredverbUS /dɪˈlɪvərd/

past form of “deliver” — deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)

From this reading Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.

effectsnounUS /ɪˈfekts/

property of a personal character that is portable but not used in business

From this reading Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."

EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.

expectverbUS /ɪkˈspekt/

regard something as probable or likely

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

happenverbUS /ˈhæpən/

come to pass

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading My charity teaches me better.

meetverbUS /miːt/

come together

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading My charity teaches me better.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

passagenounUS /ˈpæsədʒ/

the act of passing from one state or place to the next

From this reading Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."

provideverbUS /prəˈvaɪd/

give something useful or necessary to

From this reading Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."

receiveverbUS /rəˈsiːv/

get something; come into possession of

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

savedadjectiveUS /seɪvd/

rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

supportnounUS /səˈpɔːrt/

the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities

From this reading Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

takingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

teachesnounUS /ˈtiːtʃəz/

plural of “teach” — an English pirate who operated in the Caribbean and off the Atlantic coast of North America (died in 1718)

From this reading My charity teaches me better.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

ThosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.

whynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you a passage home again."

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why, this would be only taking away a life I had given.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Every thing shall be delivered to you when you come to Brazil.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading If I have saved your life it is no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, when in the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.

Chapter 1 of The Life and Most Surprising Adventures by Daniel Defoe holds 411 sentences, grouped into 83 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 Life and Most Surprising Adventures contain?

Chapter 1 holds 411 sentences of The Life and Most Surprising Adventures, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Life and Most Surprising Adventures by Daniel Defoe exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 411 sentences, grouped into 83 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 Life and Most Surprising Adventures?

Work through the 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 83 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 Life and Most Surprising Adventures

Common questions about reading The Life and Most Surprising Adventures by Daniel Defoe on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Life and Most Surprising Adventures?

Yes. All 2877 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #11866 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Life and Most Surprising Adventures is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #11866, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Life and Most Surprising Adventures take to read?

About 239 minutes of reading across 576 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Life and Most Surprising Adventures section by section

How to work through The Life and Most Surprising Adventures section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in The Life and Most Surprising Adventures

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Life and Most Surprising Adventures, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Editorial
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life and Most Surprising Adventures; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Notes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life and Most Surprising Adventures; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Daniel
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life and Most Surprising Adventures; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Defoe's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life and Most Surprising Adventures; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.