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The Mountain of Fears
The Mountain of Fears

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Mountain of Fears is here in full — 470 sentences across 94 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Mountain of Fears
Context Illustration Reading 1/94 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.
“A capital story told with a spirit and go that are irresistible.
A strong and dramatic novel.
Shows literary genius.”—Newark Advertiser.
“A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.
0:00 / 0:00
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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 Mountain of Fears

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Mountain of Fears is here in full — 470 sentences across 94 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/94 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.
Line 2
“A capital story told with a spirit and go that are irresistible.
/ə ˈkæpətəl ˈstɔːri toʊld wɪð ə ˈspɪrət ənd ɡoʊ ðæt ɑːr ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbəl/
Line 3
A strong and dramatic novel.
/ə strɔːŋ ənd drəˈmætɪk ˈnɑːvəl/
Line 4
Shows literary genius.”—Newark Advertiser.
Line 5
“A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

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.

Advertiser noun US /ˈædvərtaɪzər/

someone whose business is advertising

From this reading “Shows literary genius.”—Newark Advertiser.”

Brooklyn noun US /ˈbrʊklən/

a borough of New York City

From this reading ““Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.”

Crisp adjective US /krɪsp/

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading ““Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.”

enjoys verb US /ˌenˈdʒɔɪz/

third-person singular of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in

From this reading ““A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.”

irresistible adjective US /ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbəl/

impossible to resist; overpowering

From this reading ““A capital story told with a spirit and go that are irresistible.”

Newark noun US /ˈnuːərk/

the largest city in New Jersey; located in northeastern New Jersey

From this reading “Shows literary genius.”—Newark Advertiser.”

roving noun US /ˈroʊvɪŋ/

travelling about without any clear destination

From this reading ““A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.”

virile adjective US /ˈvɪrəl/

characterized by energy and vigor

From this reading ““Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.”

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.

toward the end preposition + article + noun counted as “toward … end”

In this reading ““A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.”

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.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading “A capital story told with a spirit and go that are irresistible.

AdvertisernounUS /ˈædvərtaɪzər/

someone whose business is advertising

From this reading Shows literary genius.”—Newark Advertiser.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading “Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading “A capital story told with a spirit and go that are irresistible.

breathlessadjectiveUS /ˈbreθləs/

not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

breezinessnoun

a mildly windy state of the air

From this reading “Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.

Brian

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

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

BrooklynnounUS /ˈbrʊklən/

a borough of New York City

From this reading “Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.

capitalnounUS /ˈkæpətəl/

assets available for use in the production of further assets

From this reading “A capital story told with a spirit and go that are irresistible.

ChicagonounUS /ʃəˈkɑːɡoʊ/

largest city in Illinois; a bustling Great Lakes port that extends 26 miles along the southwestern shoreline of Lake Michigan

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

CrispadjectiveUS /krɪsp/

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading “Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.

dramaticadjectiveUS /drəˈmætɪk/

suitable to or characteristic of drama

From this reading A strong and dramatic novel.

EaglenounUS /ˈiːɡəl/

any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight

From this reading “Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.

earlnounUS /ɜːrl/

a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

enjoysverbUS /ˌenˈdʒɔɪz/

third-person singular of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading “Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.

geniusnounUS /ˈdʒiːnjəs/

someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality

From this reading Shows literary genius.”—Newark Advertiser.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading “A capital story told with a spirit and go that are irresistible.

humanitynounUS /hjuːˈmænɪti/

the quality of being humane

From this reading “Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.

IrishnounUS /ˈaɪrɪʃ/

people of Ireland or of Irish extraction

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

irresistibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbəl/

impossible to resist; overpowering

From this reading “A capital story told with a spirit and go that are irresistible.

Kinard

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

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

literaryadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəreri/

of or relating to or characteristic of literature

From this reading Shows literary genius.”—Newark Advertiser.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

NewarknounUS /ˈnuːərk/

the largest city in New Jersey; located in northeastern New Jersey

From this reading Shows literary genius.”—Newark Advertiser.

novelnounUS /ˈnɑːvəl/

an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story

From this reading A strong and dramatic novel.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.

readernounUS /ˈriːdər/

a person who enjoys reading

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

Record-Herald

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

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

rovingnounUS /ˈroʊvɪŋ/

travelling about without any clear destination

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

ShowsnounUS /ʃoʊz/

plural of “show” — the act of publicly exhibiting or entertaining

From this reading Shows literary genius.”—Newark Advertiser.

sonnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

spentadjectiveUS /spent/

depleted of energy, force, or strength

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

spiritnounUS /ˈspɪrət/

the vital principle or animating force within living things

From this reading “A capital story told with a spirit and go that are irresistible.

storynounUS /ˈstɔːri/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading “A capital story told with a spirit and go that are irresistible.

strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading “Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “A capital story told with a spirit and go that are irresistible.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading “A capital story told with a spirit and go that are irresistible.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading “A little breathless toward the end, the reader enjoys every moment spent with Brian Kinard, the roving son of an Irish earl.”—Chicago Record-Herald.

virileadjectiveUS /ˈvɪrəl/

characterized by energy and vigor

From this reading “Crisp and strong, full of breeziness and virile humanity.”—Brooklyn Eagle.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading “A capital story told with a spirit and go that are irresistible.

Chapter 1 of The Mountain of Fears by Henry C. (Henry Cottrell) Rowland holds 470 sentences, grouped into 94 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 Mountain of Fears contain?

Chapter 1 holds 470 sentences of The Mountain of Fears, unabridged, divided into 94 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Mountain of Fears by Henry C. (Henry Cottrell) Rowland exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 470 sentences, grouped into 94 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 Mountain of Fears?

Work through the 94 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 94 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 Mountain of Fears

Common questions about reading The Mountain of Fears by Henry C. (Henry Cottrell) Rowland on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Mountain of Fears?

Yes. All 2369 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #56425 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Mountain of Fears is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #56425, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Mountain of Fears take to read?

About 197 minutes of reading across 474 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Mountain of Fears section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 5 chapters of The Mountain of Fears 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 Mountain of Fears

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

Crisp
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mountain of Fears; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Strong
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mountain of Fears; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Breeziness
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mountain of Fears; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Virile
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mountain of Fears; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.