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The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known
The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known is here in full — 67 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By William Ingraham Russell • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known
Context Illustration Reading 1/13 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
My home was in Brooklyn.
On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.
My mother's father was a commissioned officer in the war of 1812.
My father came from Connecticut, of English ancestry.
I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.
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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 Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known is here in full — 67 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/13 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
My home was in Brooklyn.
/maɪ hoʊm wɑːz ɪn ˈbrʊklən/
Line 2
On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.
/ɑːn maɪ ˈmʌðərz saɪd ðə ˈfæməli keɪm frʌm ðə oʊld dʌtʃ ˈsetlərz ʌv ðæt ˈsekʃən ʌv ˈɡreɪtər nuː jɔːrk/
Line 3
My mother's father was a commissioned officer in the war of 1812.
Line 4
My father came from Connecticut, of English ancestry.
/maɪ ˈfɑːðər keɪm frʌm kəˈnetəkət ʌv ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ˈænsestri/
Line 5
I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.
/aɪ juːzd tuː tel maɪ ˈmʌðər ðə ˈoʊnli θɪŋ aɪ kʊd ˈnevər fərˈɡɪv hɜːr wɑːz ðæt aɪ wɑːz bɔːrn ɪn ˈbrʊklən ənd aɪ hæv ˈnevər ˈɡɑːtən ˈoʊvər maɪ dɪˈslaɪk fɔːr ðə pleɪs ðoʊ ɪt ɪz ˈnɪrli ˈθɜːrdiː jɪrz sɪns aɪ left ðer/

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.

ancestry noun US /ˈænsestri/

the descendants of one individual

From this reading “My father came from Connecticut, of English ancestry.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Brooklyn noun US /ˈbrʊklən/

a borough of New York City

From this reading “My home was in Brooklyn.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
commissioned adjective US /kəˈmɪʃənd/

(of military officers) holding by virtue of a commission a rank of second lieutenant or ensign or above

From this reading “My mother's father was a commissioned officer in the war of 1812.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Connecticut noun US /kəˈnetəkət/

a New England state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading “My father came from Connecticut, of English ancestry.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Dutch adjective US /dʌtʃ/

of or relating to the Netherlands or its people or culture

From this reading “On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gotten verb US /ˈɡɑːtən/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading “I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
section noun US /ˈsekʃən/

a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical)

From this reading “On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
settlers noun US /ˈsetlərz/

plural of “settler” — a person who settles in a new colony or moves into new country

From this reading “On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 58

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.

1812

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

From this reading My mother's father was a commissioned officer in the war of 1812.

Pending verification
adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading My mother's father was a commissioned officer in the war of 1812.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ancestrynounUS /ˈænsestri/

the descendants of one individual

From this reading My father came from Connecticut, of English ancestry.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bornadjectiveUS /bɔːrn/

brought into existence

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BrooklynnounUS /ˈbrʊklən/

a borough of New York City

From this reading My home was in Brooklyn.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
commissionedadjectiveUS /kəˈmɪʃənd/

(of military officers) holding by virtue of a commission a rank of second lieutenant or ensign or above

From this reading My mother's father was a commissioned officer in the war of 1812.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ConnecticutnounUS /kəˈnetəkət/

a New England state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading My father came from Connecticut, of English ancestry.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
dislikenounUS /dɪˈslaɪk/

an inclination to withhold approval from some person or group

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DutchadjectiveUS /dʌtʃ/

of or relating to the Netherlands or its people or culture

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading My father came from Connecticut, of English ancestry.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading My mother's father was a commissioned officer in the war of 1812.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
forgiveverbUS /fərˈɡɪv/

stop blaming or grant forgiveness

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
gottenverbUS /ˈɡɑːtən/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
GreateradjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtər/

greater in size or importance or degree

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading My home was in Brooklyn.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading My home was in Brooklyn.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/

possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading My home was in Brooklyn.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nearlyadverbUS /ˈnɪrli/

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

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

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

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
officernounUS /ˈɔːfəsər/

any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command

From this reading My mother's father was a commissioned officer in the war of 1812.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sectionnounUS /ˈsekʃən/

a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical)

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
settlersnounUS /ˈsetlərz/

plural of “settler” — a person who settles in a new colony or moves into new country

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thirtynounUS /ˈθɜːrdiː/

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
usedadjectiveUS /juːzd/

employed in accomplishing something

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
warnounUS /wɔːr/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading My mother's father was a commissioned officer in the war of 1812.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading My home was in Brooklyn.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading I used to tell my mother the only thing I could never forgive her was that I was born in Brooklyn, and I have never gotten over my dislike for the place, though it is nearly thirty years since I left there.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
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 On my mother's side the family came from the old Dutch settlers of that section of Greater New York.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 1 of The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known by William Ingraham Russell holds 67 sentences, grouped into 14 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known contain?

Chapter 1 holds 67 sentences of The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known, unabridged, divided into 14 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known by William Ingraham Russell exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 67 sentences, grouped into 14 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 Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known?

Work through the 14 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 14 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.

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Common questions about reading The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known by William Ingraham Russell on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Vocabulary met early in The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Brooklyn
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mother's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Family
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dutch
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Romance and Tragedy of a Widely Known; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.