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The Motor Pirate
The Motor Pirate

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Motor Pirate is here in full — 75 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Motor Pirate
Context Illustration Reading 1/15 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.
No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.
Who the owner of the pirate car was?
Whence he came?
Whither he went?
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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 Motor Pirate

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Motor Pirate is here in full — 75 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/15 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.
Line 2
No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.
Line 3
Who the owner of the pirate car was?
/huː ðə ˈoʊnər ʌv ðə ˈpaɪrət kɑːr wɑːz/
Line 4
Whence he came?
/wens hiː keɪm/
Line 5
Whither he went?
/ˈwɪðər hiː went/

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.

columns noun US /ˈkɑːləmz/

plural of “column” — a line of units following one after another

From this reading “No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.”

doings noun US /ˈduːɪŋz/

manner of acting or controlling yourself

From this reading “No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.”

exploits noun US /ˈeksplɔɪts/

plural of “exploit” — a notable achievement

From this reading “No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.”

gossip noun US /ˈɡɑːsəp/

light informal conversation for social occasions

From this reading “No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.”

inaugurated verb US /ɪˈnɔːɡəreɪtɪd/

past form of “inaugurate” — commence officially

From this reading “No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.”

penetrate verb US /ˈpenətreɪt/

pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance

From this reading “No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.”

pirate noun US /ˈpaɪrət/

someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own

From this reading “With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.”

theme noun US /θiːm/

the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading “No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.”

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.

OF course preposition + noun

as might be expected

In this reading “With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.”

first appearance adjective + noun

the act of beginning something new

In this reading “No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.”

reign of verb + particle

In this reading “No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.”

in the country preposition + article + noun counted as “in … country”

In this reading “No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.”

for months preposition + noun counted as “for month”

In this reading “No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.”

some part adjective + noun

In this reading “No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.”

All words in this reading · 86

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 With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

appearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

begunverbUS /bɪˈɡʌn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading Whence he came?

carnounUS /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading Who the owner of the pirate car was?

casenounUS /keɪs/

an occurrence of something

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

CharlesnounUS /tʃɑːrlz/

King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

columnsnounUS /ˈkɑːləmz/

plural of “column” — a line of units following one after another

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

CompanynounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

doingverbUS /ˈduːɪŋ/

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

doingsnounUS /ˈduːɪŋz/

manner of acting or controlling yourself

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

endedadjectiveUS /ˈendəd/

having come or been brought to a conclusion

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

exploitsnounUS /ˈeksplɔɪts/

plural of “exploit” — a notable achievement

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

Frontispiecenoun

an ornamental facade

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

gossipnounUS /ˈɡɑːsəp/

light informal conversation for social occasions

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

helpverbUS /help/

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

inauguratedverbUS /ɪˈnɔːɡəreɪtɪd/

past form of “inaugurate” — commence officially

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

MCMVI

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

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/

plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

MotornounUS /ˈmoʊtər/

machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

newspapernounUS /ˈnuːzpeɪpər/

a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

newspapersnounUS /ˈnuːzpeɪpərz/

plural of “newspaper” — a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

ownernounUS /ˈoʊnər/

(law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business

From this reading Who the owner of the pirate car was?

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

penetrateverbUS /ˈpenətreɪt/

pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

PiratenounUS /ˈpaɪrət/

someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

RnounUS /ɑːr/

a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

reignverbUS /reɪn/

have sovereign power

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

roadsnounUS /roʊdz/

a partly sheltered anchorage

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

sensationallyadverb

in a sensational manner

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

Sykes

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

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

terrornounUS /ˈterər/

an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

themenounUS /θiːm/

the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

unlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Who the owner of the pirate car was?

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Whither he went?

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

Wessels

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

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

WhenceadverbUS /wens/

an old word meaning “from where”

From this reading Whence he came?

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

WhitheradverbUS /ˈwɪðər/

an old word meaning “to where”

From this reading Whither he went?

WhopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Who the owner of the pirate car was?

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun.

YorknounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading With a Frontispiece by Charles R. Sykes New York * * * * * A. Wessels Company * * * * * * MCMVI OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate.

Chapter 1 of The Motor Pirate by G. Sidney Paternoster holds 75 sentences, grouped into 15 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 Motor Pirate contain?

Chapter 1 holds 75 sentences of The Motor Pirate, unabridged, divided into 15 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Motor Pirate by G. Sidney Paternoster exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 75 sentences, grouped into 15 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 Motor Pirate?

Work through the 15 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 15 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 Motor Pirate

Common questions about reading The Motor Pirate by G. Sidney Paternoster on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Motor Pirate?

Yes. All 3657 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26657 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Motor Pirate is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #26657, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Motor Pirate take to read?

About 304 minutes of reading across 732 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Motor Pirate section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of The Motor Pirate 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 Motor Pirate

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

Frontispiece
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Motor Pirate; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Charles
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Motor Pirate; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sykes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Motor Pirate; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wessels
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Motor Pirate; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.