Chapter 1 of The Valiants of Virginia is here in full — 139 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Valiants of Virginia is here in full — 139 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Author of "The Kingdom of Slender Swords," "Satan Sanderson," etc. "Molly, Molly Bright! Can I get there by candle-light?" "Yes, if your legs are long enough." "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
Chapter 1 of The Valiants of Virginia is here in full — 139 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
in a blank and uncomprehending manner
From this reading “"Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.”
an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)
From this reading “"Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.”
popular aquarium fish
From this reading “"Molly, Molly Bright!”
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading “"Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.”
(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell
From this reading “Author of "The Kingdom of Slender Swords," "Satan Sanderson," etc.”
being of delicate or slender build
From this reading “Author of "The Kingdom of Slender Swords," "Satan Sanderson," etc.”
plural of “sword” — a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading “Author of "The Kingdom of Slender Swords," "Satan Sanderson," etc.”
Possessing or showing courage or determination; heroic. (Dũng cảm, quả cảm, anh hùng.)
From this reading “"Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.”
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.
In this reading “"Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.”
In this reading “"Yes, if your legs are long enough."”
In this reading “"Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.”
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 "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Yes, if your legs are long enough."
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading Author of "The Kingdom of Slender Swords," "Satan Sanderson," etc.
in a blank and uncomprehending manner
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading "Molly, Molly Bright!
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Can I get there by candle-light?"
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Can I get there by candle-light?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Can I get there by candle-light?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading "Yes, if your legs are long enough."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Author of "The Kingdom of Slender Swords," "Satan Sanderson," etc.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Can I get there by candle-light?"
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Can I get there by candle-light?"
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "Yes, if your legs are long enough."
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
a domain in which something is dominant
From this reading Author of "The Kingdom of Slender Swords," "Satan Sanderson," etc.
staying power
From this reading "Yes, if your legs are long enough."
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading "Yes, if your legs are long enough."
popular aquarium fish
From this reading "Molly, Molly Bright!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Author of "The Kingdom of Slender Swords," "Satan Sanderson," etc.
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Author of "The Kingdom of Slender Swords," "Satan Sanderson," etc.
(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell
From this reading Author of "The Kingdom of Slender Swords," "Satan Sanderson," etc.
being of delicate or slender build
From this reading Author of "The Kingdom of Slender Swords," "Satan Sanderson," etc.
an irregularly shaped spot
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
plural of “sword” — a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading Author of "The Kingdom of Slender Swords," "Satan Sanderson," etc.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Author of "The Kingdom of Slender Swords," "Satan Sanderson," etc.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Can I get there by candle-light?"
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
Possessing or showing courage or determination; heroic. (Dũng cảm, quả cảm, anh hùng.)
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
a Caucasian
From this reading "Failed!" ejaculated John Valiant blankly, and the hat he held dropped to the claret-colored rug like a huge white splotch of sudden fright.
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, if your legs are long enough."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Yes, if your legs are long enough."
Chapter 1 of The Valiants of Virginia by Hallie Erminie Rives holds 139 sentences, grouped into 28 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 139 sentences of The Valiants of Virginia, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Valiants of Virginia by Hallie Erminie Rives exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 139 sentences, grouped into 28 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 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 28 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.
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Yes. All 6173 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33963 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #33963, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 514 minutes of reading across 1235 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Valiants of Virginia section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 39 chapters of The Valiants of Virginia 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 Valiants of Virginia, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
