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The Vanishing of Tera
The Vanishing of Tera

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Vanishing of Tera is here in full — 136 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Fergus Hume • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Vanishing of Tera
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.
"I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.
There reigneth eternal summer, but there reigneth not the Eternal God in the hearts of the heathen.
Koiau is one of the dark places of the earth.
There 'every prospect pleases, and only man is vile.'
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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 Vanishing of Tera

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Vanishing of Tera is here in full — 136 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.
Line 2
"I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.
Line 3
There reigneth eternal summer, but there reigneth not the Eternal God in the hearts of the heathen.
Line 4
Koiau is one of the dark places of the earth.
Line 5
There 'every prospect pleases, and only man is vile.'
/ðer ˈevəri ˈprɑːspekt ˈpliːzɪz ənd ˈoʊnli mæn ɪz vaɪl/

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.

Eden noun US /ˈiːdən/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading “"I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
floats noun US /floʊts/

plural of “float” — the time interval between the deposit of a check in a bank and its payment

From this reading “"I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hansom noun US /ˈhænsəm/

a two-wheeled horse-drawn covered carriage with the driver's seat above and behind the passengers

From this reading “BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
heathen noun US /ˈhiːðən/

a person who does not acknowledge your god

From this reading “There reigneth eternal summer, but there reigneth not the Eternal God in the hearts of the heathen.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hume noun US /hjuːm/

Scottish philosopher skeptical philosophy restricted human knowledge to that which can be perceived by the senses (1711-1776)

From this reading “BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nameless adjective US /ˈneɪm.ləs/

Having no name, or having a name that is kept secret or unknown.

From this reading “BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.”

Velmora curated lexicon
pleases verb US /ˈpliːzɪz/

third-person singular of “please” — give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading “There 'every prospect pleases, and only man is vile.'”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
untroubled adjective US /ənˈtrʌbəld/

not beset by troubles or disturbance or distress

From this reading “"I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

HANSOM CAB noun + noun

a two-wheeled horse-drawn covered carriage with the driver's seat above and behind the passengers

In this reading “BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.”

441 times in 225,867 chapters
green leaf noun + noun

In this reading “"I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.”

3,579 times in 225,867 chapters
THIRD VOLUME noun + noun

In this reading “BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.”

592 times in 225,867 chapters
FROM NOWHERE preposition + noun

without warning

In this reading “BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.”

931 times in 225,867 chapters
come from verb + particle

In this reading “"I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.”

89,230 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 64

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 BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading There 'every prospect pleases, and only man is vile.'

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AUTHORnounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading There reigneth eternal summer, but there reigneth not the Eternal God in the hearts of the heathen.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
BYprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
CABnounUS /kæb/

a compartment at the front of a motor vehicle or locomotive where driver sits

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CARBUNCLEnoun

deep-red cabochon garnet cut without facets

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CHAMBERnounUS /ˈtʃeɪmbər/

a natural or artificial enclosed space

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

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 BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CLUEnounUS /kluː/

a slight indication

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
criedverbUS /kraɪd/

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading Koiau is one of the dark places of the earth.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DEFENCEnounUS /dɪˈfens/

(psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DWARF'S

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

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

Pending verification
earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading Koiau is one of the dark places of the earth.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EdennounUS /ˈiːdən/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ETC

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

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

Pending verification
eternaladjectiveUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəl/

continuing forever or indefinitely

From this reading There reigneth eternal summer, but there reigneth not the Eternal God in the hearts of the heathen.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading There 'every prospect pleases, and only man is vile.'

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
FERGUS

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

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

Pending verification
floatsnounUS /floʊts/

plural of “float” — the time interval between the deposit of a check in a bank and its payment

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
FROMprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading There reigneth eternal summer, but there reigneth not the Eternal God in the hearts of the heathen.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
greennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HANSOMnounUS /ˈhænsəm/

a two-wheeled horse-drawn covered carriage with the driver's seat above and behind the passengers

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
heartsnounUS /hɑːrts/

a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades

From this reading There reigneth eternal summer, but there reigneth not the Eternal God in the hearts of the heathen.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
heathennounUS /ˈhiːðən/

a person who does not acknowledge your god

From this reading There reigneth eternal summer, but there reigneth not the Eternal God in the hearts of the heathen.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HUMEnounUS /hjuːm/

Scottish philosopher skeptical philosophy restricted human knowledge to that which can be perceived by the senses (1711-1776)

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading There reigneth eternal summer, but there reigneth not the Eternal God in the hearts of the heathen.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
INNnounUS /ɪn/

a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Koiau is one of the dark places of the earth.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IslandnounUS /ˈaɪlənd/

a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Koiau

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

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

Pending verification
LADYnounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
leafnounUS /liːf/

the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LONEadjectiveUS /loʊn/

lacking companions or companionship

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading There 'every prospect pleases, and only man is vile.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MYSTERYnounUS /ˈmɪstəri/

something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NAMELESSadjectiveUS /ˈneɪm.ləs/

Having no name, or having a name that is kept secret or unknown.

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

Velmora curated lexicon
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading There reigneth eternal summer, but there reigneth not the Eternal God in the hearts of the heathen.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
NOWHEREnounUS /ˈnoʊwer/

an insignificant place

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Koiau is one of the dark places of the earth.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading There 'every prospect pleases, and only man is vile.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
placesnounUS /ˈpleɪsəz/

plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Koiau is one of the dark places of the earth.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pleasesverbUS /ˈpliːzɪz/

third-person singular of “please” — give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading There 'every prospect pleases, and only man is vile.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
preachernounUS /ˈpriːtʃər/

someone whose occupation is preaching the gospel

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
prospectnounUS /ˈprɑːspekt/

the possibility of future success

From this reading There 'every prospect pleases, and only man is vile.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reigneth

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

From this reading There reigneth eternal summer, but there reigneth not the Eternal God in the hearts of the heathen.

Pending verification
seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
summernounUS /ˈsʌmər/

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading There reigneth eternal summer, but there reigneth not the Eternal God in the hearts of the heathen.

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 BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There reigneth eternal summer, but there reigneth not the Eternal God in the hearts of the heathen.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THIRDnounUS /θɜːrd/

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
untroubledadjectiveUS /ənˈtrʌbəld/

not beset by troubles or disturbance or distress

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
vileadjectiveUS /vaɪl/

morally reprehensible

From this reading There 'every prospect pleases, and only man is vile.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
VOLUMEnounUS /ˈvɑːljuːm/

the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object

From this reading BY FERGUS HUME AUTHOR OF "THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB," "FOR THE DEFENCE," "THE LADY FROM NOWHERE," "THE THIRD VOLUME," "THE LONE INN," "THE NAMELESS CITY," "THE DWARF'S CHAMBER," "THE CARBUNCLE CLUE," ETC., ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading "I come from Eden," cried the preacher; "even from the Island of Koiau, which floats as a green leaf upon the untroubled sea.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 1 of The Vanishing of Tera by Fergus Hume holds 136 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.

What does chapter 1 of The Vanishing of Tera contain?

Chapter 1 holds 136 sentences of The Vanishing of Tera, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Vanishing of Tera by Fergus Hume exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 136 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.

How do I study chapter 1 of The Vanishing of Tera?

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.

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 Vanishing of Tera

Common questions about reading The Vanishing of Tera by Fergus Hume on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Vanishing of Tera?

Yes. All 5154 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #55313 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Vanishing of Tera is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #55313, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Vanishing of Tera take to read?

About 429 minutes of reading across 1031 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Vanishing of Tera section by section

How to work through The Vanishing of Tera section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of The Vanishing of Tera 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 Vanishing of Tera

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

Fergus
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Vanishing of Tera; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Vanishing of Tera; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mystery
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Vanishing of Tera; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hansom
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Vanishing of Tera; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.