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The Life of James McNeill Whistler
The Life of James McNeill Whistler

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Life of James McNeill Whistler is here in full — 38 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Life of James McNeill Whistler
Context Illustration Reading 1/7 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.
Obvious punctuation errors and typos repaired.
Footnotes moved to end of relevant chapters.
Index of Illustrations adjusted to match HTML version.
Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Life of James McNeill Whistler

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Life of James McNeill Whistler is here in full — 38 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/7 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.
/aɪˈtælɪk tekst ɪz dɪˈnoʊtəd baɪ ˌʌndərˈskɔːrz/
Line 2
Obvious punctuation errors and typos repaired.
Line 3
Footnotes moved to end of relevant chapters.
/ˈfʊtnoʊts muːvd tuː end ʌv ˈreləvənt ˈtʃæptərz/
Line 4
Index of Illustrations adjusted to match HTML version.
/ˈɪndeks ʌv ˌɪləˈstreɪʃənz əˈdʒʌstɪd tuː mætʃ ˌeɪtʃtiːeˈmel ˈvɜːrʒən/
Line 5
Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

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.

chapters noun US /ˈtʃæptərz/

plural of “chapter” — a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled

From this reading “Footnotes moved to end of relevant chapters.”

denoted verb US /dɪˈnoʊtəd/

past form of “denote” — be a sign or indication of

From this reading “Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.”

html noun US /ˌeɪtʃtiːeˈmel/

a set of tags and rules (conforming to SGML) for using them in developing hypertext documents

From this reading “Index of Illustrations adjusted to match HTML version.”

Index noun US /ˈɪndeks/

a numerical scale used to compare variables with one another or with some reference number

From this reading “Index of Illustrations adjusted to match HTML version.”

Italic noun US /aɪˈtælɪk/

a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right

From this reading “Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.”

punctuation noun US /ˌpʌŋktʃuːˈeɪʃən/

something that makes repeated and regular interruptions or divisions

From this reading “Obvious punctuation errors and typos repaired.”

relevant adjective US /ˈreləvənt/

having a bearing on or connection with the subject at issue

From this reading “Footnotes moved to end of relevant chapters.”

underscores noun US /ˌʌndərˈskɔːrz/

plural of “underscore” — a line drawn underneath (especially under written matter)

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.

List of verb + particle

In this reading “Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".”

All words in this reading · 46

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.

ACADEMYnounUS /əˈkæd.ə.mi/

A place of study or training in a special field of knowledge and arts.

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

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 Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

ADJOININGverbUS /əˈdʒɔɪnɪŋ/

-ing form of “adjoin” — lie adjacent to another or share a boundary

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

adjustedadjectiveUS /əˈdʒʌstɪd/

altered to accommodate to certain requirements or bring into a proper relation

From this reading Index of Illustrations adjusted to match HTML version.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Obvious punctuation errors and typos repaired.

ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

CEMETERYnounUS /ˈseməteri/

a tract of land used for burials

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

chaptersnounUS /ˈtʃæptərz/

plural of “chapter” — a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled

From this reading Footnotes moved to end of relevant chapters.

CHISWICK

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

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

CHURCHYARDnounUS /ˈtʃɜːrtʃjɑːrd/

the yard associated with a church

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

denotedverbUS /dɪˈnoʊtəd/

past form of “denote” — be a sign or indication of

From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading Footnotes moved to end of relevant chapters.

errorsnounUS /ˈerərz/

plural of “error” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading Obvious punctuation errors and typos repaired.

FootnotesnounUS /ˈfʊtnoʊts/

plural of “footnote” — a printed note placed below the text on a printed page

From this reading Footnotes moved to end of relevant chapters.

GRAVEnounUS /ɡreɪv/

death of a person

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

HTMLnounUS /ˌeɪtʃtiːeˈmel/

a set of tags and rules (conforming to SGML) for using them in developing hypertext documents

From this reading Index of Illustrations adjusted to match HTML version.

IllustrationsnounUS /ˌɪləˈstreɪʃənz/

plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive

From this reading Index of Illustrations adjusted to match HTML version.

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

IndexnounUS /ˈɪndeks/

a numerical scale used to compare variables with one another or with some reference number

From this reading Index of Illustrations adjusted to match HTML version.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

ItalicnounUS /aɪˈtælɪk/

a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right

From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

ListverbUS /lɪst/

give or make a list of; name individually; give the names of

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

matchverbUS /mætʃ/

be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics

From this reading Index of Illustrations adjusted to match HTML version.

MEMORYnounUS /ˈmem.ər.i/

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

MILITARYadjectiveUS /ˈmɪləteri/

of or relating to the study of the principles of warfare

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

MONUMENTnounUS /ˈmɑːnjuːmənt/

a structure erected to commemorate persons or events

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

movedadjectiveUS /muːvd/

being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion

From this reading Footnotes moved to end of relevant chapters.

ObviousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːbviəs/

easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind

From this reading Obvious punctuation errors and typos repaired.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Footnotes moved to end of relevant chapters.

POINTnounUS /pɔɪnt/

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

punctuationnounUS /ˌpʌŋktʃuːˈeɪʃən/

something that makes repeated and regular interruptions or divisions

From this reading Obvious punctuation errors and typos repaired.

relevantadjectiveUS /ˈreləvənt/

having a bearing on or connection with the subject at issue

From this reading Footnotes moved to end of relevant chapters.

repairedverbUS /rɪˈperd/

past form of “repair” — restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken

From this reading Obvious punctuation errors and typos repaired.

STATESnounUS /steɪts/

plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

textnounUS /tekst/

the words of something written

From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Footnotes moved to end of relevant chapters.

TwonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

typos

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

From this reading Obvious punctuation errors and typos repaired.

un-indexed

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

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

underscoresnounUS /ˌʌndərˈskɔːrz/

plural of “underscore” — a line drawn underneath (especially under written matter)

From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

UNITEDadjectiveUS /juːˈnaɪtɪd/

characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

versionnounUS /ˈvɜːrʒən/

an interpretation of a matter from a particular viewpoint

From this reading Index of Illustrations adjusted to match HTML version.

WESTnounUS /west/

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

WHISTLER'S

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

From this reading Two un-indexed illustrations, 'WHISTLER'S GRAVE IN CHISWICK CEMETERY ADJOINING CHISWICK CHURCHYARD' and 'MONUMENT IN WHISTLER'S MEMORY AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT', added to the "List of Illustrations".

Chapter 1 of The Life of James McNeill Whistler by Elizabeth Robins Pennell holds 38 sentences, grouped into 8 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 of James McNeill Whistler contain?

Chapter 1 holds 38 sentences of The Life of James McNeill Whistler, unabridged, divided into 8 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Life of James McNeill Whistler by Elizabeth Robins Pennell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 38 sentences, grouped into 8 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 of James McNeill Whistler?

Work through the 8 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 8 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 of James McNeill Whistler

Common questions about reading The Life of James McNeill Whistler by Elizabeth Robins Pennell on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Life of James McNeill Whistler?

Yes. All 8629 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #47363 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Life of James McNeill Whistler is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #47363, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Life of James McNeill Whistler take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1726 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Life of James McNeill Whistler section by section

How to work through The Life of James McNeill Whistler section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of The Life of James McNeill Whistler 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 Life of James McNeill Whistler

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Life of James McNeill Whistler, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Italic
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life of James McNeill Whistler; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Denoted
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life of James McNeill Whistler; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Underscores
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life of James McNeill Whistler; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Obvious
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life of James McNeill Whistler; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.