Chapter 1 of Tonio, Son of the Sierras is here in full — 96 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Tonio, Son of the Sierras is here in full — 96 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion. "How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon. "You've been here longest." "Don't know, I'm sure," was the languid answer. "I've only been here three years.
Chapter 1 of Tonio, Son of the Sierras is here in full — 96 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/19 · 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.
(of mail) marked with a destination
From this reading “"How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.”
an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic
From this reading “"Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.”
lacking spirit or liveliness
From this reading “"Don't know, I'm sure," was the languid answer.”
up to the immediate present; most recent or most up-to-date
From this reading “"Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.”
for the most time
From this reading “"You've been here longest."”
older; higher in rank; longer in length of tenure or service
From this reading “"How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.”
make a shift in or exchange of
From this reading “"Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.”
a physician who specializes in surgery
From this reading “"How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.”
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.
(of mail) marked with a destination
From this reading "How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.
react verbally
From this reading "Don't know, I'm sure," was the languid answer.
accomplishment of an objective
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "You've been here longest."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.
an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Don't know, I'm sure," was the languid answer.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Don't know, I'm sure," was the languid answer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've only been here three years.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "Don't know, I'm sure," was the languid answer.
lacking spirit or liveliness
From this reading "Don't know, I'm sure," was the languid answer.
up to the immediate present; most recent or most up-to-date
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
for the most time
From this reading "You've been here longest."
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading "How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.
and nothing more
From this reading "I've only been here three years.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading "How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.
older; higher in rank; longer in length of tenure or service
From this reading "How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.
make a shift in or exchange of
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading "Don't know, I'm sure," was the languid answer.
a physician who specializes in surgery
From this reading "How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading "I've only been here three years.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "How is that, Bentley?" said the officer addressed to the senior present, the surgeon.
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Don't know, I'm sure," was the languid answer.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Does it never rain here?" asked the Latest Arrival, with sudden shift of the matter under discussion.
a late time of life
From this reading "I've only been here three years.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You've been here longest."
Chapter 1 of Tonio, Son of the Sierras by Charles King holds 96 sentences, grouped into 20 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 96 sentences of Tonio, Son of the Sierras, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Tonio, Son of the Sierras by Charles King exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 96 sentences, grouped into 20 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 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 20 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 Tonio, Son of the Sierras by Charles King on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4016 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #23487 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #23487, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 334 minutes of reading across 804 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Tonio, Son of the Sierras section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 28 chapters of Tonio, Son of the Sierras 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 Tonio, Son of the Sierras, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
