Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Violists
Violists

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Violists is here in full — 188 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Violists
Context Illustration Reading 1/37 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.
It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).
"Violists" began to germinate early in December last, as Christmas approached.
I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.
It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...
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.

Violists

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Violists is here in full — 188 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.
Line 2
It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).
Line 3
"Violists" began to germinate early in December last, as Christmas approached.
Line 4
I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.
Line 5
It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

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.

Shelf noun US /ʃelf/

A flat horizontal plane used to hold books or scrolls in a library.

From this reading “It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...”

All words in this reading · 83

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.

accent

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

accents

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

alas

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

and

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

another

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

approached

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

From this reading "Violists" began to germinate early in December last, as Christmas approached.

are

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

as

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

From this reading "Violists" began to germinate early in December last, as Christmas approached.

ASCII

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

author's

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

be

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

before

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

began

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

From this reading "Violists" began to germinate early in December last, as Christmas approached.

behind

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

but

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

came

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

Christmas

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

From this reading "Violists" began to germinate early in December last, as Christmas approached.

completed

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

customary

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

December

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

From this reading "Violists" began to germinate early in December last, as Christmas approached.

due

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

e

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

early

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

From this reading "Violists" began to germinate early in December last, as Christmas approached.

edition

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

for

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

French

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

g

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

gateau

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

germinate

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

From this reading "Violists" began to germinate early in December last, as Christmas approached.

I

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

In

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

intended

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

intent

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

is

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

It

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

January

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

languish

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

last

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

From this reading "Violists" began to germinate early in December last, as Christmas approached.

let

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

limitations

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

marks

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

medium

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

morsels

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

new

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

not

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

NOTE

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

of

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

origin

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

originally

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

places

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

possible

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

rather

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

ready

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

right

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

schedule

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

season

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

shelfnounUS /ʃelf/

A flat horizontal plane used to hold books or scrolls in a library.

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

so

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

some

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

spelled

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

still

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

such

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

text

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

TEXTUAL

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

than

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

that

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

the

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

their

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

they

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

this

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

to

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

tête-à-tête

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

until

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

upon

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

Violists

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

From this reading "Violists" began to germinate early in December last, as Christmas approached.

was

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

whenever

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

winter

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

with

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

From this reading It is the author's intent that they be spelled with accents whenever possible (e.g., gateau, tête-à-tête).

without

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

words

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

From this reading TEXTUAL NOTE: In this edition words of French origin in the text are spelled without their customary accent marks, due to the limitations of the ASCII medium.

work

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

From this reading It is still winter in some places--the right season for such morsels--so rather than let the work languish upon the shelf for another year...

year

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

From this reading I originally intended that it be ready before the new year, but alas, it came in behind schedule, and was not completed until January.

Chapter 1 of Violists by Richard McGowan holds 188 sentences, grouped into 38 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 Violists contain?

Chapter 1 holds 188 sentences of Violists, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Violists by Richard McGowan exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 188 sentences, grouped into 38 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 Violists?

Work through the 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 38 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 Violists

Common questions about reading Violists by Richard McGowan on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Violists?

Yes. All 1413 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #112 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Violists is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #112, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Violists take to read?

About 117 minutes of reading across 283 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Violists section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 7 chapters of Violists 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 Violists

Words and structures a reader meets early in Violists, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Textual
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Violists; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Edition
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Violists; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Words
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Violists; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
French
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Violists; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.