Chapter 1 of The Torch and Other Tales is here in full — 435 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Torch and Other Tales is here in full — 435 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it. But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living." "You ain't on duty to-night, however," replied Teddy. "A policeman's always on duty," said Ford, "and 'tis vain to threat or argue. I've got no choice."
Chapter 1 of The Torch and Other Tales is here in full — 435 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 24/87 · 5 reading units · Lines 116–120
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.
present reasons and arguments
From this reading “"A policeman's always on duty," said Ford, "and 'tis vain to threat or argue.”
the person or thing chosen or selected
From this reading “I've got no choice."”
United States film maker (1896-1973)
From this reading “"A policeman's always on duty," said Ford, "and 'tis vain to threat or argue.”
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading “But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."”
possessive form of “policeman” — a member of a police force
From this reading “But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."”
plaything consisting of a child's toy bear (usually plush and stuffed with soft materials)
From this reading “"You ain't on duty to-night, however," replied Teddy.”
something that is a source of danger
From this reading “"A policeman's always on duty," said Ford, "and 'tis vain to threat or argue.”
plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
From this reading “"A policeman's always on duty," said Ford, "and 'tis vain to threat or argue.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "A policeman's always on duty," said Ford, "and 'tis vain to threat or argue.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You ain't on duty to-night, however," replied Teddy.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading "A policeman's always on duty," said Ford, "and 'tis vain to threat or argue.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."
present reasons and arguments
From this reading "A policeman's always on duty," said Ford, "and 'tis vain to threat or argue.
terminate
From this reading But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it.
the person or thing chosen or selected
From this reading I've got no choice."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it.
United States film maker (1896-1973)
From this reading "A policeman's always on duty," said Ford, "and 'tis vain to threat or argue.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading I've got no choice."
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading "You ain't on duty to-night, however," replied Teddy.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I've got no choice."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."
not any; not one
From this reading I've got no choice."
not one, and not any
From this reading You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it.
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "You ain't on duty to-night, however," replied Teddy.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."
possessive form of “policeman” — a member of a police force
From this reading But my duty's my duty, and I don't break my policeman's oath for you, or any man living."
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "You ain't on duty to-night, however," replied Teddy.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "A policeman's always on duty," said Ford, "and 'tis vain to threat or argue.
plaything consisting of a child's toy bear (usually plush and stuffed with soft materials)
From this reading "You ain't on duty to-night, however," replied Teddy.
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it.
something that is a source of danger
From this reading "A policeman's always on duty," said Ford, "and 'tis vain to threat or argue.
plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
From this reading "A policeman's always on duty," said Ford, "and 'tis vain to threat or argue.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You ain't on duty to-night, however," replied Teddy.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading "A policeman's always on duty," said Ford, "and 'tis vain to threat or argue.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it.
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading You've none to thank for this but yourself and you well know it.
Chapter 1 of The Torch and Other Tales by Eden Phillpotts holds 435 sentences, grouped into 87 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 1 holds 435 sentences of The Torch and Other Tales, unabridged, divided into 87 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Torch and Other Tales by Eden Phillpotts exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 435 sentences, grouped into 87 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 87 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 87 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The Torch and Other Tales by Eden Phillpotts on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3899 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #15737 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #15737, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 324 minutes of reading across 780 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Torch and Other Tales section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 9 chapters of The Torch and Other Tales to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Torch and Other Tales, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
