Chapter 1 of The Princess and Joe Potter is here in full — 195 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Princess and Joe Potter is here in full — 195 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"JENNY WREN'S BOARDING-HOUSE," "TEDDY AND CARROTS," ETC. "Hello, Joe Potter! What you doin' up in this part of the town?" The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief: "Oh, it's you, is it, Plums?"
Chapter 1 of The Princess and Joe Potter is here in full — 195 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/39 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
plural of “carrot” — deep orange edible root of the cultivated carrot plant
From this reading “"JENNY WREN'S BOARDING-HOUSE," "TEDDY AND CARROTS," ETC.”
an expression of greeting
From this reading “"Hello, Joe Potter!”
United States architect who designed the first skyscraper in which a metal skeleton was used (1832-1907)
From this reading “"JENNY WREN'S BOARDING-HOUSE," "TEDDY AND CARROTS," ETC.”
plural of “plum” — any of several trees producing edible oval fruit having a smooth skin and a single hard stone
From this reading “"Oh, it's you, is it, Plums?"”
do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly
From this reading “"Hello, Joe Potter!”
-ing form of “recognise” — show approval or appreciation of
From this reading “The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:”
someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
From this reading “The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:”
plaything consisting of a child's toy bear (usually plush and stuffed with soft materials)
From this reading “"JENNY WREN'S BOARDING-HOUSE," "TEDDY AND CARROTS," ETC.”
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.
In this reading “The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:”
look about oneself
In this reading “The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:”
In this reading “The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:”
In this reading “The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:”
In this reading “The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
(of mail) marked with a destination
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "JENNY WREN'S BOARDING-HOUSE," "TEDDY AND CARROTS," ETC.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "JENNY WREN'S BOARDING-HOUSE," "TEDDY AND CARROTS," ETC.
a youthful male person
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
plural of “carrot” — deep orange edible root of the cultivated carrot plant
From this reading "JENNY WREN'S BOARDING-HOUSE," "TEDDY AND CARROTS," ETC.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What you doin' up in this part of the town?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "JENNY WREN'S BOARDING-HOUSE," "TEDDY AND CARROTS," ETC.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
past form of “halt” — cause to stop
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
an expression of greeting
From this reading "Hello, Joe Potter!
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading What you doin' up in this part of the town?"
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Oh, it's you, is it, Plums?"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Oh, it's you, is it, Plums?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Oh, it's you, is it, Plums?"
United States architect who designed the first skyscraper in which a metal skeleton was used (1832-1907)
From this reading "JENNY WREN'S BOARDING-HOUSE," "TEDDY AND CARROTS," ETC.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Hello, Joe Potter!
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading What you doin' up in this part of the town?"
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, it's you, is it, Plums?"
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading What you doin' up in this part of the town?"
plural of “plum” — any of several trees producing edible oval fruit having a smooth skin and a single hard stone
From this reading "Oh, it's you, is it, Plums?"
do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly
From this reading "Hello, Joe Potter!
-ing form of “recognise” — show approval or appreciation of
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
happening unexpectedly
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
plaything consisting of a child's toy bear (usually plush and stuffed with soft materials)
From this reading "JENNY WREN'S BOARDING-HOUSE," "TEDDY AND CARROTS," ETC.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading What you doin' up in this part of the town?"
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading What you doin' up in this part of the town?"
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading What you doin' up in this part of the town?"
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading What you doin' up in this part of the town?"
precisely as stated
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What you doin' up in this part of the town?"
in the company of; together with
From this reading The boy thus addressed halted suddenly, looked around with what was very like an expression of fear on his face, and then, recognising the speaker, replied, in a tone of relief:
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "JENNY WREN'S BOARDING-HOUSE," "TEDDY AND CARROTS," ETC.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading What you doin' up in this part of the town?"
Chapter 1 of The Princess and Joe Potter by James Otis holds 195 sentences, grouped into 39 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.
Chapter 1 holds 195 sentences of The Princess and Joe Potter, unabridged, divided into 39 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Princess and Joe Potter by James Otis exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 195 sentences, grouped into 39 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.
Work through the 39 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 39 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.
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.
Common questions about reading The Princess and Joe Potter by James Otis on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2615 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #32249 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #32249, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 217 minutes of reading across 523 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Princess and Joe Potter section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 16 chapters of The Princess and Joe Potter to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Princess and Joe Potter, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
