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The Story of a Needle
The Story of a Needle

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Story of a Needle is here in full — 27 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Story of a Needle
Context Illustration Reading 1/5 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MY EDUCATION.
I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.
I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.
I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!
I can fancy all this, as I said, but I really remember nothing about it.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Story of a Needle

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Story of a Needle is here in full — 27 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
MY EDUCATION.
/maɪ ˌedʒəˈkeɪʃən/
Line 2
I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.
/aɪ ˈrɪli kæn seɪ ˈnʌθɪŋ ʌv maɪ ˈɜːrliəst deɪz ɪkˈsept frʌm riˈpɔːrt/
Line 3
I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.
Line 4
I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!
Line 5
I can fancy all this, as I said, but I really remember nothing about it.
/aɪ kæn ˈfænsi ɔːl ðɪs æz aɪ sed bʌt aɪ ˈrɪli rɪˈmɛm.bər ˈnʌθɪŋ əˈbaʊt ɪt/

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.

Cornwall noun US /ˈkɔːrnwɔːl/

a hilly county in southwestern England

From this reading “I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.”

earliest adjective US /ˈɜːrliəst/

(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early

From this reading “I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.”

furnace noun US /ˈfɜːrnəs/

an enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc.

From this reading “I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.”

heated adjective US /ˈhiːtəd/

made warm or hot (“het” is a dialectal variant of “heated”)

From this reading “I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.”

hissed verb US /hɪst/

past form of “hiss” — make a sharp hissing sound, as if to show disapproval

From this reading “I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!”

lain verb US /leɪn/

inflected form of “lie” — be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position

From this reading “I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.”

ore noun US /ɔːr/

a mineral that contains metal that is valuable enough to be mined

From this reading “I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.”

thenceforth adverb US /ˌðenˈsfɔːrθ/

from that time on

From this reading “I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.”

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.

iron ore noun + noun

an ore from which iron can be extracted

In this reading “I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.”

iron bar noun + noun

In this reading “I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.”

plunged into verb + particle counted as “plunge into”

In this reading “I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.”

earliest days adjective + noun

In this reading “I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.”

cold water adjective + noun

disparagement of a plan or hope or expectation

In this reading “I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.”

put into verb + particle

In this reading “I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.”

in a dark preposition + article + noun counted as “in … dark”

In this reading “I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.”

All words in this reading · 85

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 I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading I can fancy all this, as I said, but I really remember nothing about it.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!

agesnounUS /ˈeɪdʒəz/

plural of “age” — how long something has existed

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

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

From this reading I can fancy all this, as I said, but I really remember nothing about it.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading I can fancy all this, as I said, but I really remember nothing about it.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!

barnounUS /bɑːr/

a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

blackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.

changedadjectiveUS /tʃeɪndʒd/

made or become different in nature or form

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

coldadjectiveUS /koʊld/

having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

constitutionnounUS /ˌkɑːnstəˈtuːʃən/

law determining the fundamental political principles of a government

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

CornwallnounUS /ˈkɔːrnwɔːl/

a hilly county in southwestern England

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.

dugnounUS /dʌɡ/

an udder or breast or teat

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/

(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early

From this reading I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.

EDUCATIONnounUS /ˌedʒəˈkeɪʃən/

the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill

From this reading MY EDUCATION.

exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!

fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/

having lost freshness or brilliance of color

From this reading I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!

fancynounUS /ˈfænsi/

something many people believe that is false

From this reading I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!

fieryadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪəri/

characterized by intense emotion

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

fizzed

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

From this reading I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!

flushnounUS /flʌʃ/

the period of greatest prosperity or productivity

From this reading I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.

furnacenounUS /ˈfɜːrnəs/

an enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc.

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

glownounUS /ɡloʊ/

an alert and refreshed state

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

hardlyadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdli/

only a very short time before

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

heatedadjectiveUS /ˈhiːtəd/

made warm or hot (“het” is a dialectal variant of “heated”)

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

hissedverbUS /hɪst/

past form of “hiss” — make a sharp hissing sound, as if to show disapproval

From this reading I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!

how

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

From this reading I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!

hugeadjectiveUS /hjuːdʒ/

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

ironnounUS /ˈaɪərn/

a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!

lainverbUS /leɪn/

inflected form of “lie” — be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

massnounUS /mæs/

the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

meltedadjectiveUS /ˈmeltəd/

changed from a solid to a liquid state

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

minepronounUS /maɪn/

the one or ones belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

MYdeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading MY EDUCATION.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

orenounUS /ɔːr/

a mineral that contains metal that is valuable enough to be mined

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

plungedverbUS /plʌndʒd/

past form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!

REALLYadverbUS /ˈrɪli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.

red-hotadjective

having strong sexual appeal

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading I can fancy all this, as I said, but I really remember nothing about it.

reportverbUS /riˈpɔːrt/

to give an account or representation of in words

From this reading I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.

roughadjectiveUS /rʌf/

having or caused by an irregular surface

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading I can fancy all this, as I said, but I really remember nothing about it.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading I REALLY can say nothing of my earliest days except from report.

steelnounUS /stiːl/

an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I can just fancy how the water fizzed and hissed, and how my fiery flush faded suddenly away, and I became again quite black in the face!

thenceforthadverbUS /ˌðenˈsfɔːrθ/

from that time on

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading I can fancy all this, as I said, but I really remember nothing about it.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading I have heard, but I can hardly believe it, that I was once part of a rough mass of iron ore, that had lain for ages in a dark mine in Cornwall; that I was dug out, and put into a huge furnace, and heated till I became red-hot, and melted; that I was made into part of an iron bar, and when in a fiery glow was suddenly plunged into cold water, which changed my whole constitution and name, for iron was thenceforth called steel.

Chapter 1 of The Story of a Needle by A. L. O. E. holds 27 sentences, grouped into 6 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 Story of a Needle contain?

Chapter 1 holds 27 sentences of The Story of a Needle, unabridged, divided into 6 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Story of a Needle by A. L. O. E. exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 27 sentences, grouped into 6 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 Story of a Needle?

Work through the 6 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 6 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 Story of a Needle

Common questions about reading The Story of a Needle by A. L. O. E. on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Story of a Needle?

Yes. All 1236 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #65365 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Story of a Needle is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #65365, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Story of a Needle take to read?

About 103 minutes of reading across 248 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Story of a Needle section by section

How to work through The Story of a Needle section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 14 chapters of The Story of a Needle 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 Story of a Needle

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

Education
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of a Needle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Really
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of a Needle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Nothing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of a Needle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Earliest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of a Needle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.