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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.

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Context Illustration Reading 6/82 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.
If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.
But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.
But my desire was as vain as my folly in making.
My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."
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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 6/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 26–30

Line 1
Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.
/kənˈsɪdər jɔːr ˈeldər ˈbrʌðər huː leɪd daʊn hɪz laɪf fɔːr hɪz ˈɑːnər ɔːr ˈræðər lɔːst ɪt fɔːr hɪz ˌdɪsəˈbiːdiəns tuː maɪ wɪl/
Line 2
If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.
Line 3
But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.
/bʌt ðɪs suːn wɔːr ɔːf ənd ə ˈlɪtəl ˈæftər aɪ ˌɪnˈfɔːrmd maɪ ˈmʌðər ðæt aɪ kʊd nɑːt ˈsetəl tuː ˈeni ˈbɪznəs maɪ ˌrezəˈluːʃənz wɜːr soʊ strɔːŋ tuː siː ðə wɜːrld ənd beɡd ʃiː wʊd ɡeɪn maɪ ˈfɑːðərz kənˈsent ˈoʊnli tuː ɡoʊ wʌn ˈvɔɪədʒ wɪtʃ ɪf aɪ dɪd nɑːt pruːv ˈprɑːspərəs aɪ wʊd ˈnevər əˈtempt ə ˈsekənd/
Line 4
But my desire was as vain as my folly in making.
/bʌt maɪ dɪˈzaɪər wɑːz æz veɪn æz maɪ ˈfɑːli ɪn ˈmeɪkɪŋ/
Line 5
My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."
/maɪ ˈmʌðər ˈpæʃənətli ɪkˈsprest hɜːr dɪˈslaɪk ʌv ðɪs prəˈpoʊzəl ˈtelɪŋ miː ðæt æz ʃiː sɔː aɪ wɑːz bent əˈpɑːn maɪ oʊn dɪˈstrʌkʃən ˈkɑːntreri tuː ðer wɪl ənd maɪ ˈduːti ʃiː wʊd seɪ noʊ mɔːr bʌt liːv miː tuː duː ˌwʌˈtevər aɪ pliːzd/

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.

disobedience noun US /ˌdɪsəˈbiːdiəns/

the failure to obey

From this reading “Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.”

floods noun US /flʌdz/

plural of “flood” — the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land

From this reading “If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.”

forsaken verb US /fɔːrˈseɪkən/

inflected form of “forsake” — leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading “If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.”

paternal adjective US /pəˈtɜːrnəl/

belonging to or inherited from one's father

From this reading “If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.”

preservation noun US /ˌprezərˈveɪʃən/

the activity of protecting something from loss or danger

From this reading “If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.”

prosperous adjective US /ˈprɑːspərəs/

in fortunate circumstances financially; moderately rich

From this reading “But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.”

resolutions noun US /ˌrezəˈluːʃənz/

plural of “resolution” — a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote

From this reading “If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.”

stem noun US /stem/

(linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed

From this reading “If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.”

All words in this reading · 131

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 If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

addedverbUS /ˈædəd/

past form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

agedadjectiveUS /eɪdʒd/

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading But my desire was as vain as my folly in making.

attemptnounUS /əˈtempt/

earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

beggedverbUS /beɡd/

inflected form of “beg” — call upon in supplication; entreat

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

bentnounUS /bent/

a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

brothernounUS /ˈbrʌðər/

a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

cheeksnounUS /tʃiːks/

plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

consentnounUS /kənˈsent/

permission to do something

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

ConsiderverbUS /kənˈsɪdər/

deem to be

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

contraryadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːntreri/

very opposed in nature or character or purpose

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

counselnounUS /ˈkaʊnsəl/

a lawyer who pleads cases in court

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

desirenounUS /dɪˈzaɪər/

the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state

From this reading But my desire was as vain as my folly in making.

desolateadjectiveUS /ˈdesələt/

providing no shelter or sustenance

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

despisedadjectiveUS /dɪˈspaɪzd/

treated with dislike or contempt

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

destructionnounUS /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/

the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

dislikenounUS /dɪˈslaɪk/

an inclination to withhold approval from some person or group

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

disobediencenounUS /ˌdɪsəˈbiːdiəns/

the failure to obey

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

dutynounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

eldernounUS /ˈeldər/

a person who is older than you are

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

eloquencenounUS /ˈel.ə.kwəns/

Fluent, persuasive, and graceful speaking or writing. (Sự hùng biện, tài ăn nói lưu loát.)

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

expressedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsprest/

communicated in words

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/

possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

floodsnounUS /flʌdz/

plural of “flood” — the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

follynounUS /ˈfɑːli/

the trait of acting stupidly or rashly

From this reading But my desire was as vain as my folly in making.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

forsakenverbUS /fɔːrˈseɪkən/

inflected form of “forsake” — leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

gainverbUS /ɡeɪn/

obtain

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

honournounUS /ˈɑːnər/

the state of being honored

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading But my desire was as vain as my folly in making.

informedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈfɔːrmd/

having much knowledge or education

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/

set down according to a plan

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

makingnounUS /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/

the act that results in something coming to be

From this reading But my desire was as vain as my folly in making.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

movingadjectiveUS /ˈmuːvɪŋ/

in motion

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

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

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

offeredverbUS /ˈɔːfərd/

past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

oppressedadjectiveUS /əˈprest/

burdened psychologically or mentally

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

passionatelyadverbUS /ˈpæʃənətli/

with passion

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

paternaladjectiveUS /pəˈtɜːrnəl/

belonging to or inherited from one's father

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

pleasedadjectiveUS /pliːzd/

experiencing or manifesting pleasure

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

pooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

prayersnounUS /prerz/

plural of “prayer” — the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

preservationnounUS /ˌprezərˈveɪʃən/

the activity of protecting something from loss or danger

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

pronouncedadjectiveUS /prəˈnaʊnst/

strongly marked; easily noticeable

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

proposalnounUS /prəˈpoʊzəl/

something proposed (such as a plan or assumption)

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

prosperousadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːspərəs/

in fortunate circumstances financially; moderately rich

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

proveverbUS /pruːv/

be shown or be found to be

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

ranverbUS /ræn/

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

resolutionsnounUS /ˌrezəˈluːʃənz/

plural of “resolution” — a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

settleverbUS /ˈsetəl/

settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

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

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

stemnounUS /stem/

(linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

tearsnounUS /terz/

the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

tellingadjectiveUS /ˈtelɪŋ/

disclosing unintentionally something concealed

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

torrentnounUS /ˈtɔːrənt/

a heavy rain

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

vainadjectiveUS /veɪn/

characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance

From this reading But my desire was as vain as my folly in making.

voyagenounUS /ˈvɔɪədʒ/

an act of traveling by water

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading But my desire was as vain as my folly in making.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

wishverbUS /wɪʃ/

hope for; have a wish

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

woreverbUS /wɔːr/

inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.

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.

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Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

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

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

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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
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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
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