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The Magic of Oz
The Magic of Oz

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Magic of Oz is here in full — 186 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Magic of Oz
Context Illustration Reading 7/37 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.
But people DO live there, just the same.
The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.
There are houses scattered here and there, each having its family of Hyups, as the people call themselves.
The Hyups seldom go down the mountain, for the same reason that the Munchkins never climb up: the sides are too steep.
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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 Magic of Oz

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Magic of Oz is here in full — 186 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 7/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 31–35

Line 1
The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.
Line 2
But people DO live there, just the same.
/bʌt ˈpiːpəl duː laɪv ðer dʒʌst ðə seɪm/
Line 3
The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.
/ðə tɑːp ʌv maʊnt mʌntʃ ɪz ʃeɪpt laɪk ə ˈsɔːsər brɔːd ənd diːp ənd ɪn ðə ˈsɔːsər ɑːr fiːldz wer ɡreɪnz ənd ˈvedʒtəbəlz ɡroʊ ənd flɑːks ɑːr fed ənd brʊks floʊ ənd triːz ber ɔːl sɔːrts ʌv θɪŋz/
Line 4
There are houses scattered here and there, each having its family of Hyups, as the people call themselves.
Line 5
The Hyups seldom go down the mountain, for the same reason that the Munchkins never climb up: the sides are too steep.

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.

brooks noun US /brʊks/

United States literary critic and historian (1886-1963)

From this reading “The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.”

flocks noun US /flɑːks/

plural of “flock” — a church congregation guided by a pastor

From this reading “The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.”

grains noun US /ɡreɪnz/

plural of “grain” — a relatively small granular particle of a substance

From this reading “The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.”

Munch noun US /mʌntʃ/

Norwegian painter (1863-1944)

From this reading “The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.”

peak noun US /piːk/

the most extreme possible amount or value

From this reading “The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.”

saucer noun US /ˈsɔːsər/

something with a round shape resembling a flat circular plate

From this reading “The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.”

towering adjective US /ˈtaʊərɪŋ/

of imposing height; especially standing out above others

From this reading “The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.”

vegetables noun US /ˈvedʒtəbəlz/

plural of “vegetable” — edible seeds or roots or stems or leaves or bulbs or tubers or nonsweet fruits of any of numerous herbaceous plant

From this reading “The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.”

All words in this reading · 91

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 The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading There are houses scattered here and there, each having its family of Hyups, as the people call themselves.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

awareadjectiveUS /əˈwer/

(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

bearverbUS /ber/

have

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

becomeverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

broadadjectiveUS /brɔːd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

brooksnounUS /brʊks/

United States literary critic and historian (1886-1963)

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But people DO live there, just the same.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading There are houses scattered here and there, each having its family of Hyups, as the people call themselves.

climbverbUS /klaɪm/

go upward with gradual or continuous progress

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

deepadjectiveUS /diːp/

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

DOauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading But people DO live there, just the same.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading The Hyups seldom go down the mountain, for the same reason that the Munchkins never climb up: the sides are too steep.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading There are houses scattered here and there, each having its family of Hyups, as the people call themselves.

factnounUS /fækt/

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading There are houses scattered here and there, each having its family of Hyups, as the people call themselves.

fednounUS /fed/

any federal law-enforcement officer

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

fieldsnounUS /fiːldz/

United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

flocksnounUS /flɑːks/

plural of “flock” — a church congregation guided by a pastor

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

flownounUS /floʊ/

the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

folksnounUS /foʊks/

your parents

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading The Hyups seldom go down the mountain, for the same reason that the Munchkins never climb up: the sides are too steep.

grainsnounUS /ɡreɪnz/

plural of “grain” — a relatively small granular particle of a substance

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

growverbUS /ɡroʊ/

pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading There are houses scattered here and there, each having its family of Hyups, as the people call themselves.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading There are houses scattered here and there, each having its family of Hyups, as the people call themselves.

housesnounUS /ˈhaʊsəz/

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

From this reading There are houses scattered here and there, each having its family of Hyups, as the people call themselves.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

Hyups

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

From this reading There are houses scattered here and there, each having its family of Hyups, as the people call themselves.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading But people DO live there, just the same.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

liveverbUS /laɪv/

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

merelyadverbUS /ˈmɪrli/

and nothing more

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

MountverbUS /maʊnt/

attach to a support

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

mountainnounUS /ˈmaʊntən/

a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading The Hyups seldom go down the mountain, for the same reason that the Munchkins never climb up: the sides are too steep.

MunchnounUS /mʌntʃ/

Norwegian painter (1863-1944)

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

Munchkin

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

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

Munchkins

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

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

nearlyadverbUS /ˈnɪrli/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading The Hyups seldom go down the mountain, for the same reason that the Munchkins never climb up: the sides are too steep.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

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

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

peaknounUS /piːk/

the most extreme possible amount or value

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

reachverbUS /riːtʃ/

reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading The Hyups seldom go down the mountain, for the same reason that the Munchkins never climb up: the sides are too steep.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading But people DO live there, just the same.

saucernounUS /ˈsɔːsər/

something with a round shape resembling a flat circular plate

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

scatteredadjectiveUS /ˈskætərd/

occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space

From this reading There are houses scattered here and there, each having its family of Hyups, as the people call themselves.

seemsverbUS /siːmz/

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

seldomadverbUS /ˈseldəm/

not often

From this reading The Hyups seldom go down the mountain, for the same reason that the Munchkins never climb up: the sides are too steep.

shapedadjectiveUS /ʃeɪpt/

shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

sidesnounUS /saɪdz/

plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

skiesnounUS /skaɪz/

plural of “sky” — the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

sortsnounUS /sɔːrts/

plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

standverbUS /stænd/

be standing; be upright

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

steepadjectiveUS /stiːp/

having a sharp inclination

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading There are houses scattered here and there, each having its family of Hyups, as the people call themselves.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading But people DO live there, just the same.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

thirdnounUS /θɜːrd/

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

topnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

toweringadjectiveUS /ˈtaʊərɪŋ/

of imposing height; especially standing out above others

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

treesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

vegetablesnounUS /ˈvedʒtəbəlz/

plural of “vegetable” — edible seeds or roots or stems or leaves or bulbs or tubers or nonsweet fruits of any of numerous herbaceous plant

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The Munchkin folks, however, merely stand off and look at Mount Munch and know very little about it; for, about a third of the way up, its sides become too steep to climb, and if any people live upon the top of that great towering peak that seems to reach nearly to the skies, the Munchkins are not aware of the fact.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading The top of Mount Munch is shaped like a saucer, broad and deep, and in the saucer are fields where grains and vegetables grow, and flocks are fed, and brooks flow and trees bear all sorts of things.

Chapter 1 of The Magic of Oz by L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum holds 186 sentences, grouped into 38 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 Magic of Oz contain?

Chapter 1 holds 186 sentences of The Magic of Oz, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Magic of Oz by L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 186 sentences, grouped into 38 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 Magic of Oz?

Work through the 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 38 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 Magic of Oz

Common questions about reading The Magic of Oz by L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Magic of Oz?

Yes. All 2104 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #419 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Magic of Oz is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #419, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Magic of Oz take to read?

About 175 minutes of reading across 421 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Magic of Oz section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 11 chapters of The Magic of Oz 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 Magic of Oz

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

Faithful
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Magic of Oz; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Record
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Magic of Oz; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Remarkable
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Magic of Oz; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Adventures
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Magic of Oz; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.