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The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete
The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete is here in full — 1770 sentences across 354 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete
Context Illustration Reading 1/354 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.
He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.
And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:
* Boccanera mansion, Julia Street.
It was a Monday, the 3rd of September, a beautifully bright and mild morning, with a clear sky overhead.
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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 Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete is here in full — 1770 sentences across 354 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/354 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hoursduration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.
Line 2
He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.
Line 3
And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:
Line 4
* Boccanera mansion, Julia Street.
Line 5
It was a Monday, the 3rd of September, a beautifully bright and mild morning, with a clear sky overhead.

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.

cabs noun US /kæbz/

plural of “cab” — a compartment at the front of a motor vehicle or locomotive where driver sits

From this reading “And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:”

duration noun US /ˈdʊˈreɪʃən/

the period of time during which something continues

From this reading “THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.”

fatiguing verb US /fəˈtiːɡɪŋ/

-ing form of “fatigue” — lose interest or become bored with something or somebody

From this reading “THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.”

Piazza noun US /piˈæzə/

a public square with room for pedestrians

From this reading “And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:”

Pisa noun US /ˈpiːsə/

a city in Tuscany; site of the famous Leaning Tower

From this reading “THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.”

porters noun US /ˈpɔːrtərz/

plural of “porter” — a person employed to carry luggage and supplies

From this reading “He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.”

ranged verb US /reɪndʒd/

past form of “range” — change or be different within limits

From this reading “And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:”

scramble verb US /ˈskræmbəl/

to move hurriedly

From this reading “He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.”

All words in this reading · 106

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.

3rd

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

From this reading It was a Monday, the 3rd of September, a beautifully bright and mild morning, with a clear sky overhead.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

AbbenounUS /ˈæbi/

a French abbot

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

addressverbUS /ˈædres/

speak to

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

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

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

alongsideadverbUS /əˈlɔːŋˈsaɪd/

side by side

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

amidstprepositionUS /əˈmɪdst/

in the middle of; surrounded by

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

anxiousadjectiveUS /ˈæŋkʃəs/

eagerly desirous

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

arrivalnounUS /ərˈaɪvəl/

accomplishment of an objective

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

asideadverbUS /əˈsaɪd/

on or to one side

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

beautifullyadverbUS /ˈbjuːtəfli/

in a beautiful manner

From this reading It was a Monday, the 3rd of September, a beautifully bright and mild morning, with a clear sky overhead.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

Boccanera

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

From this reading * Boccanera mansion, Julia Street.

brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading It was a Monday, the 3rd of September, a beautifully bright and mild morning, with a clear sky overhead.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

brushedadjectiveUS /brʌʃt/

touched lightly in passing; grazed against

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

cabsnounUS /kæbz/

plural of “cab” — a compartment at the front of a motor vehicle or locomotive where driver sits

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

carriagenounUS /ˈkærɪdʒ/

a railcar where passengers ride

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

carryingverbUS /ˈkæriɪŋ/

-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

Cinquecento

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

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

Civita

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

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

clearverbUS /klɪr/

rid of obstructions

From this reading It was a Monday, the 3rd of September, a beautifully bright and mild morning, with a clear sky overhead.

climbedverbUS /klaɪmd/

past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

dei

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

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

delayedadjectiveUS /dɪˈleɪd/

not as far along as normal in development

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

destinationnounUS /ˌdestəˈneɪʃən/

the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

drivernounUS /ˈdraɪvər/

the operator of a motor vehicle

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

durationnounUS /ˈdʊˈreɪʃən/

the period of time during which something continues

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/

having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

fatiguingverbUS /fəˈtiːɡɪŋ/

-ing form of “fatigue” — lose interest or become bored with something or somebody

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

footwalk

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

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

Froment

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

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

givingnounUS /ˈɡɪvɪŋ/

the act of giving

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

greatlyadverbUS /ˈɡreɪtli/

to an extraordinary extent or degree

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

hastilyadverbUS /ˈheɪstəli/

in a hurried or hasty manner

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

immediatelyadverbUS /ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli/

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

intentnounUS /ˌɪnˈtent/

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

journeyverbUS /ˈdʒɜːrni/

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

Julia

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

From this reading * Boccanera mansion, Julia Street.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

luggagenounUS /ˈlʌɡədʒ/

cases used to carry belongings when traveling

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

mansionnounUS /ˈmænʃən/

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

From this reading * Boccanera mansion, Julia Street.

mildadjectiveUS /maɪld/

moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme

From this reading It was a Monday, the 3rd of September, a beautifully bright and mild morning, with a clear sky overhead.

MondaynounUS /ˈmʌndi/

the second day of the week; the first working day

From this reading It was a Monday, the 3rd of September, a beautifully bright and mild morning, with a clear sky overhead.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

ninenounUS /naɪn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/

above your head; in the sky

From this reading It was a Monday, the 3rd of September, a beautifully bright and mild morning, with a clear sky overhead.

PiazzanounUS /piˈæzə/

a public square with room for pedestrians

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

PierrenounUS /piˈer/

capital of the state of South Dakota; located in central South Dakota on the Missouri river

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

PisanounUS /ˈpiːsə/

a city in Tuscany; site of the famous Leaning Tower

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

placedadjectiveUS /pleɪst/

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

portersnounUS /ˈpɔːrtərz/

plural of “porter” — a person employed to carry luggage and supplies

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

railwaynounUS /ˈreɪlweɪ/

line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

rangedverbUS /reɪndʒd/

past form of “range” — change or be different within limits

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

reachverbUS /riːtʃ/

reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

RomenounUS /roʊm/

capital and largest city of Italy; on the Tiber; seat of the Roman Catholic Church; formerly the capital of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

scrambleverbUS /ˈskræmbəl/

to move hurriedly

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

SeptembernounUS /sepˈtembər/

the month following August and preceding October

From this reading It was a Monday, the 3rd of September, a beautifully bright and mild morning, with a clear sky overhead.

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading It was a Monday, the 3rd of September, a beautifully bright and mild morning, with a clear sky overhead.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

springingverbUS /ˈsprɪŋɪŋ/

-ing form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

stationnounUS /ˈsteɪʃən/

a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

StreetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading * Boccanera mansion, Julia Street.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading And almost immediately, on the Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of the railway station, he climbed into one of the small open cabs ranged alongside the footwalk, and placed the valise near him after giving the driver this address:

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

trainverbUS /treɪn/

create by training and teaching

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

triflingnounUS /ˈtraɪflɪŋ/

the deliberate act of delaying and playing instead of working

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

twenty-fiveadjectiveUS /ˈtwentifaɪv/

being five more than twenty

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

valisenoun

a small overnight bag for short trips

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

Vecchia

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

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading THE train had been greatly delayed during the night between Pisa and Civita Vecchia, and it was close upon nine o’clock in the morning when, after a fatiguing journey of twenty-five hours’ duration, Abbe Pierre Froment at last reached Rome.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He had brought only a valise with him, and, springing hastily out of the railway carriage amidst the scramble of the arrival, he brushed the eager porters aside, intent on carrying his trifling luggage himself, so anxious was he to reach his destination, to be alone, and look around him.

Chapter 1 of The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete by Émile Zola holds 1770 sentences, grouped into 354 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 Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete contain?

Chapter 1 holds 1770 sentences of The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete, unabridged, divided into 354 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete by Émile Zola exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 1770 sentences, grouped into 354 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 Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete?

Work through the 354 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 354 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 Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete

Common questions about reading The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete by Émile Zola on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete?

Yes. All 9663 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8726 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #8726, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1933 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete section by section

How to work through The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 5 chapters of The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete 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 Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Train
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Greatly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Delayed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
During
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.