Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1
The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1

Chapter LVII · Chapter 57

Chapter 57 of The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 is here in full — 211 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Marco Polo • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1
Context Illustration Reading 1/42 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
OF THE CITY OF LOP AND THE GREAT DESERT.
Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.
It belongs to the Great Kaan, and the people worship Mahommet.
Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.
On quitting this city they enter the Desert.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1

Chapter LVII · Chapter 57

Chapter 57 of The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 is here in full — 211 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
OF THE CITY OF LOP AND THE GREAT DESERT.
/ʌv ðə ˈsɪti ʌv lɑːp ənd ðə ɡreɪt ˈdezərt/
Line 2
Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.
/lɑːp ɪz ə lɑːrdʒ taʊn æt ðə edʒ ʌv ðə ˈdezərt wɪtʃ ɪz kɔːld ðə ˈdezərt ʌv lɑːp ənd ɪz ˈsɪtʃuːeɪtɪd bɪˈtwiːn iːst ənd ˌnɔːrˈθiːst/
Line 3
It belongs to the Great Kaan, and the people worship Mahommet.
Line 4
Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.
/naʊ sʌtʃ ˈpɜːrsənz æz prəˈpoʊz tuː krɔːs ðə ˈdezərt teɪk ə wiːks rest ɪn ðɪs taʊn tuː rɪˈfreʃ ðemˈselvz ənd ðer ˈkætəl ənd ðen ðeɪ meɪk ˈredi fɔːr ðə ˈdʒɜːrni ˈteɪkɪŋ wɪð ðem ə mʌnθs səˈplaɪ fɔːr mæn ənd biːst/
Line 5
On quitting this city they enter the Desert.
/ɑːn ˈkwɪtɪŋ ðɪs ˈsɪti ðeɪ ˈentər ðə ˈdezərt/

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.

belongs verb US /bɪˈlɔːŋz/

third-person singular of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of

From this reading “It belongs to the Great Kaan, and the people worship Mahommet.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lop verb US /lɑːp/

cut off from a whole

From this reading “OF THE CITY OF LOP AND THE GREAT DESERT.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
month's noun US /mʌnθs/

possessive form of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
north-east adverb US /ˌnɔːrˈθiːst/

to, toward, or in the northeast

From this reading “Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
quitting verb US /ˈkwɪtɪŋ/

inflected form of “quit” — put an end to a state or an activity

From this reading “On quitting this city they enter the Desert.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
refresh verb US /rɪˈfreʃ/

refresh one's memory

From this reading “Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
situated adjective US /ˈsɪtʃuːeɪtɪd/

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading “Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
week's noun US /wiːks/

possessive form of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 57

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 Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading OF THE CITY OF LOP AND THE GREAT DESERT.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beastnounUS /biːst/

a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
belongsverbUS /bɪˈlɔːŋz/

third-person singular of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of

From this reading It belongs to the Great Kaan, and the people worship Mahommet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
calledverbUS /kɔːld/

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

From this reading Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cattlenounUS /ˈkætəl/

domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CITYnounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading OF THE CITY OF LOP AND THE GREAT DESERT.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
crossverbUS /krɔːs/

travel across or pass over

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DESERTverbUS /ˈdezərt/

leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading OF THE CITY OF LOP AND THE GREAT DESERT.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eastnounUS /iːst/

the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees

From this reading Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
edgenounUS /edʒ/

the boundary of a surface

From this reading Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
enterverbUS /ˈentər/

to come or go into

From this reading On quitting this city they enter the Desert.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
GREATadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading OF THE CITY OF LOP AND THE GREAT DESERT.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

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

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

From this reading Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It belongs to the Great Kaan, and the people worship Mahommet.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
journeyverbUS /ˈdʒɜːrni/

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Kaan

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

From this reading It belongs to the Great Kaan, and the people worship Mahommet.

Pending verification
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LOPverbUS /lɑːp/

cut off from a whole

From this reading OF THE CITY OF LOP AND THE GREAT DESERT.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Mahommet

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

From this reading It belongs to the Great Kaan, and the people worship Mahommet.

Pending verification
makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
month'snounUS /mʌnθs/

possessive form of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
north-eastadverbUS /ˌnɔːrˈθiːst/

to, toward, or in the northeast

From this reading Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading OF THE CITY OF LOP AND THE GREAT DESERT.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On quitting this city they enter the Desert.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading It belongs to the Great Kaan, and the people worship Mahommet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
personsnounUS /ˈpɜːrsənz/

plural of “person” — a human being

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
proposeverbUS /prəˈpoʊz/

make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
quittingverbUS /ˈkwɪtɪŋ/

inflected form of “quit” — put an end to a state or an activity

From this reading On quitting this city they enter the Desert.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
refreshverbUS /rɪˈfreʃ/

refresh one's memory

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
situatedadjectiveUS /ˈsɪtʃuːeɪtɪd/

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
supplyverbUS /səˈplaɪ/

give something useful or necessary to

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
takingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading OF THE CITY OF LOP AND THE GREAT DESERT.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It belongs to the Great Kaan, and the people worship Mahommet.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
week'snounUS /wiːks/

possessive form of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Now, such persons as propose to cross the Desert take a week’s rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month’s supply for man and beast.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
worshipverbUS /ˈwɜːrʃəp/

love unquestioningly and uncritically or to excess; venerate as an idol

From this reading It belongs to the Great Kaan, and the people worship Mahommet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 57 of The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Marco Polo holds 211 sentences, grouped into 43 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 57 of The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 contain?

Chapter 57 holds 211 sentences of The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 57 of The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Marco Polo exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 211 sentences, grouped into 43 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 57 of The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1?

Work through the 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 43 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 57 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 57 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 Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1

Common questions about reading The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Marco Polo on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 is used?

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

How long does The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 section by section

How to work through The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 0 chapters of The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 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 Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.