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Too close to the forest
Too close to the forest

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Too close to the forest is here in full — 378 sentences across 76 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Too close to the forest
Context Illustration Reading 1/75 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.
And established a barrier no ESP could sever.
_We roll out the red carpet for Bryce Walton and Al Reynolds.
New to us--but not to you.
Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.
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.

Too close to the forest

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Too close to the forest is here in full — 378 sentences across 76 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/75 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.
Line 2
And established a barrier no ESP could sever.
Line 3
_We roll out the red carpet for Bryce Walton and Al Reynolds.
Line 4
New to us--but not to you.
Line 5
Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

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.

barrier noun US /ˈbæriər/

a structure or object that impedes free movement

From this reading “And established a barrier no ESP could sever.”

colleagues noun US /ˈkɑːliɡz/

plural of “colleague” — an associate that one works with

From this reading “Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.”

dazzling adjective US /ˈdæzəlɪŋ/

amazingly impressive; suggestive of the flashing of lightning

From this reading “By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.”

frantically adverb US /ˈfræntəkəli/

in an uncontrolled manner

From this reading “Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.”

Reynolds noun US /ˈrenəldz/

English portrait painter and first president of the Royal Academy (1723-1792)

From this reading “By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.”

sensitive adjective US /ˈsensətɪv/

responsive to physical stimuli

From this reading “Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.”

sever verb US /ˈsevər/

set or keep apart

From this reading “And established a barrier no ESP could sever.”

Walton noun US /ˈwɔːltən/

English composer (1902-1983)

From this reading “By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.”

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.

red carpet noun + noun

a strip of red carpeting laid down for dignitaries to walk on

In this reading “_We roll out the red carpet for Bryce Walton and Al Reynolds.”

sensitive mind adjective + noun

In this reading “Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.”

hung from verb + particle counted as “hang from”

In this reading “By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.”

All words in this reading · 50

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 Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

AlnounUS /æl/

a silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

barriernounUS /ˈbæriər/

a structure or object that impedes free movement

From this reading And established a barrier no ESP could sever.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

Bryce

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

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading New to us--but not to you.

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

carpetnounUS /ˈkɑːrpət/

floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)

From this reading _We roll out the red carpet for Bryce Walton and Al Reynolds.

colleaguesnounUS /ˈkɑːliɡz/

plural of “colleague” — an associate that one works with

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading And established a barrier no ESP could sever.

dazzlingadjectiveUS /ˈdæzəlɪŋ/

amazingly impressive; suggestive of the flashing of lightning

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

delicateadjectiveUS /ˈdeləkət/

exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

differencenounUS /ˈdɪfərəns/

the quality of being unlike or dissimilar

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

Dr

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

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

ESPnoun

apparent power to perceive things that are not present to the senses

From this reading And established a barrier no ESP could sever.

establishedadjectiveUS /ɪˈstæblɪʃt/

brought about or set up or accepted; especially long established

From this reading And established a barrier no ESP could sever.

failurenounUS /ˈfeɪljər/

an act that fails

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _We roll out the red carpet for Bryce Walton and Al Reynolds.

franticallyadverbUS /ˈfræntəkəli/

in an uncontrolled manner

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

hungverbUS /hʌŋ/

inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

Marsten

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

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading New to us--but not to you.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading And established a barrier no ESP could sever.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading New to us--but not to you.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading _We roll out the red carpet for Bryce Walton and Al Reynolds.

reachverbUS /riːtʃ/

reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading _We roll out the red carpet for Bryce Walton and Al Reynolds.

ReynoldsnounUS /ˈrenəldz/

English portrait painter and first president of the Royal Academy (1723-1792)

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

rollverbUS /roʊl/

move by turning over or rotating

From this reading _We roll out the red carpet for Bryce Walton and Al Reynolds.

sensitiveadjectiveUS /ˈsensətɪv/

responsive to physical stimuli

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

seververbUS /ˈsevər/

set or keep apart

From this reading And established a barrier no ESP could sever.

spideryadjective

relating to or resembling a member of the class Arachnida

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

successnounUS /səkˈses/

an event that accomplishes its intended purpose

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

talenounUS /teɪl/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

Their's

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

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

threadverbUS /θred/

to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading New to us--but not to you.

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading New to us--but not to you.

WaltonnounUS /ˈwɔːltən/

English composer (1902-1983)

From this reading By Bryce Walton & Al Reynolds The dazzling difference between failure and success hung from a spidery thread.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading _We roll out the red carpet for Bryce Walton and Al Reynolds.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Their's is the delicate tale of a sensitive mind, the mind of Dr. Marsten who tried frantically to reach his colleagues.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading New to us--but not to you.

Chapter 1 of Too close to the forest by Bryce Walton holds 378 sentences, grouped into 76 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 Too close to the forest contain?

Chapter 1 holds 378 sentences of Too close to the forest, unabridged, divided into 76 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Too close to the forest by Bryce Walton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 378 sentences, grouped into 76 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 Too close to the forest?

Work through the 76 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 76 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 Too close to the forest

Common questions about reading Too close to the forest by Bryce Walton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Too close to the forest?

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

Which edition of Too close to the forest is used?

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

How long does Too close to the forest take to read?

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

How to read Too close to the forest section by section

How to work through Too close to the forest section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 0 chapters of Too close to the forest 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 Too close to the forest

Words and structures a reader meets early in Too close to the forest, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Too close to the forest, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of Too close to the forest, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of Too close to the forest, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.