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Walda: A Novel
Walda: A Novel

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Walda: A Novel is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Walda: A Novel
Context Illustration Reading 1/82 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
See https://
For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.
“So that is Zanah there at the foot of the hill?
It is a pretty village, Hans Peter.
Step more quickly with my bag.
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.

Walda: A Novel

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Walda: A Novel is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
See https://
Line 2
For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.
Line 3
“So that is Zanah there at the foot of the hill?
Line 4
It is a pretty village, Hans Peter.
/ɪt ɪz ə ˈprɪti ˈvɪlədʒ hɑːns ˈpiːtər/
Line 5
Step more quickly with my bag.
/step mɔːr ˈkwɪkli wɪð maɪ bæɡ/

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.

community noun US /kəˈmjuːnəti/

a group of people living in a particular local area

From this reading “For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.”

fidelity noun US /fəˈdeləti/

accuracy with which an electronic system reproduces the sound or image of its input signal

From this reading “For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.”

Hans noun US /hɑːns/

plural of “han” — imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time from 206 BC to AD 220) and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy; remembered as one of the great eras of Chinese civilization

From this reading “It is a pretty village, Hans Peter.”

herein adverb US /hɪˈrɪn/

in this place or thing or document

From this reading “For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.”

photographic adjective US /ˌfoʊtəˈɡræfɪk/

relating to photography or obtained by using photography

From this reading “For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.”

pictured adjective US /ˈpɪktʃərd/

seen in the mind as a mental image

From this reading “For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.”

portrayed adjective US /pɔːrˈtreɪd/

represented graphically by sketch or design or lines

From this reading “For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.”

withheld verb US /wɪθˈheld/

inflected form of “withhold” — hold back; refuse to hand over or share

From this reading “For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.”

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.

obvious reasons adjective + noun counted as “obvious reason”

In this reading “For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.”

at the foot preposition + article + noun counted as “at … foot”

In this reading ““So that is Zanah there at the foot of the hill?”

name of verb + particle

In this reading “For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.”

All words in this reading · 52

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 For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

actuallyadverbUS /ˈæktʃuːəli/

in actual fact

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “So that is Zanah there at the foot of the hill?

bagnounUS /bæɡ/

a flexible container with a single opening

From this reading Step more quickly with my bag.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

co-operative

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

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

communitynounUS /kəˈmjuːnəti/

a group of people living in a particular local area

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

describedadjectiveUS /dɪˈskraɪbd/

represented in words especially with sharpness and detail

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

fidelitynounUS /fəˈdeləti/

accuracy with which an electronic system reproduces the sound or image of its input signal

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading “So that is Zanah there at the foot of the hill?

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

HansnounUS /hɑːns/

plural of “han” — imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time from 206 BC to AD 220) and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy; remembered as one of the great eras of Chinese civilization

From this reading It is a pretty village, Hans Peter.

hereinadverbUS /hɪˈrɪn/

in this place or thing or document

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

hillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading “So that is Zanah there at the foot of the hill?

https

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

From this reading See https://

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is a pretty village, Hans Peter.

lednounUS /led/

diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Step more quickly with my bag.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Step more quickly with my bag.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

obviousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːbviəs/

easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

PeternounUS /ˈpiːtər/

disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope

From this reading It is a pretty village, Hans Peter.

photographicadjectiveUS /ˌfoʊtəˈɡræfɪk/

relating to photography or obtained by using photography

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

picturedadjectiveUS /ˈpɪktʃərd/

seen in the mind as a mental image

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

portrayedadjectiveUS /pɔːrˈtreɪd/

represented graphically by sketch or design or lines

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading It is a pretty village, Hans Peter.

quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/

with speed

From this reading Step more quickly with my bag.

realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

reasonsnounUS /ˈriːzənz/

plural of “reason” — a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

religiousadjectiveUS /rɪˈlɪdʒəs/

concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

scenesnounUS /siːnz/

plural of “scene” — the place where some action occurs

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

SeeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading See https://

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading “So that is Zanah there at the foot of the hill?

StatenounUS /steɪt/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

StepnounUS /step/

any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

From this reading Step more quickly with my bag.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “So that is Zanah there at the foot of the hill?

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading “So that is Zanah there at the foot of the hill?

to-day

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

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading It is a pretty village, Hans Peter.

WesternadjectiveUS /ˈwestərn/

relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

withheldverbUS /wɪθˈheld/

inflected form of “withhold” — hold back; refuse to hand over or share

From this reading For obvious reasons, the real name of the community described herein is withheld; but the scenes are pictured with almost photographic fidelity, and the life portrayed is the life actually led to-day by a religious co-operative community in a Western State.

Zanah

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

From this reading “So that is Zanah there at the foot of the hill?

Chapter 1 of Walda: A Novel by Mary Holland Kinkaid holds 413 sentences, grouped into 83 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 Walda: A Novel contain?

Chapter 1 holds 413 sentences of Walda: A Novel, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Walda: A Novel by Mary Holland Kinkaid exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 413 sentences, grouped into 83 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 Walda: A Novel?

Work through the 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 83 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 Walda: A Novel

Common questions about reading Walda: A Novel by Mary Holland Kinkaid on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Walda: A Novel?

Yes. All 4479 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #63629 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Walda: A Novel is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #63629, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Walda: A Novel take to read?

About 373 minutes of reading across 896 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Walda: A Novel section by section

How to work through Walda: A Novel section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 11 chapters of Walda: A Novel 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 Walda: A Novel

Words and structures a reader meets early in Walda: A Novel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Https
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Walda: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Obvious
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Walda: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Reasons
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Walda: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Community
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Walda: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.