Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery
Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery

Chapter XXXIII

Chapter 33 of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery is here in full — 291 sentences across 59 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery
Context Illustration Reading 1/58 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The GuideThe Great PlynlimmonA Dangerous PathSource of the RheidolSource of the SevernPennillionOld Times and NewThe Corpse-CandleSupper.
Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.
When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.
Because, sir,” said he, there was a castle here in the old time.”
Whereabouts was it?” said I.
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.

Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery

Chapter XXXIII

Chapter 33 of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery is here in full — 291 sentences across 59 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/58 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The GuideThe Great PlynlimmonA Dangerous PathSource of the RheidolSource of the SevernPennillionOld Times and NewThe Corpse-CandleSupper.
Line 2
Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.
/ˈliːvɪŋ ðə ɪn maɪ ɡaɪd ənd ˌmaɪˈself bɪˈɡæn tuː əˈsend ə stiːp hɪl dʒʌst bɪˈhaɪnd ɪt/
Line 3
When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.
/wen wiː wɜːr əˈbaʊt hæf weɪ ʌp aɪ æskt maɪ kəmˈpænjən huː spoʊk ˈveri fer ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ waɪ ðə pleɪs wɑːz kɔːld ðə ˈkæsəl/
Line 4
Because, sir,” said he, “there was a castle here in the old time.”
/bɪˈkɔːz sɜːr sed hiː ðer wɑːz ə ˈkæsəl hiːr ɪn ðə oʊld taɪm/
Line 5
Whereabouts was it?” said I.
/ˈwerəbaʊts wɑːz ɪt sed aɪ/

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.

ascend verb US /əˈsend/

travel up

From this reading “Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.”

Dangerous adjective US /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/

involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm

From this reading “The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.”

guide noun US /ɡaɪd/

someone employed to conduct others

From this reading “The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.”

inn noun US /ɪn/

a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers

From this reading “Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.”

Severn noun US /ˈsevərn/

a river in Ontario that flows northeast into Hudson Bay

From this reading “The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.”

Source noun US /sɔːrs/

the place where something begins, where it springs into being

From this reading “The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.”

steep adjective US /stiːp/

having a sharp inclination

From this reading “Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.”

Whereabouts noun US /ˈwerəbaʊts/

the general location where something is

From this reading ““Whereabouts was it?” said I.”

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.

steep hill adjective + noun

In this reading “Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.”

Dangerous Path adjective + noun

In this reading “The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.”

Old Times adjective + noun

past times remembered with nostalgia

In this reading “The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.”

half way adjective + noun

In this reading “When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.”

All words in this reading · 59

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 The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

ascendverbUS /əˈsend/

travel up

From this reading Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

BecauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading “Because, sir,” said he, “there was a castle here in the old time.”

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

CastlenounUS /ˈkæsəl/

a large and stately mansion

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

companionnounUS /kəmˈpænjən/

a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

Corpse-Candle

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

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

DangerousadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/

involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

fairadjectiveUS /fer/

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

GreatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

GuidenounUS /ɡaɪd/

someone employed to conduct others

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading “Because, sir,” said he, “there was a castle here in the old time.”

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading “Because, sir,” said he, “there was a castle here in the old time.”

hillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “Because, sir,” said he, “there was a castle here in the old time.”

innnounUS /ɪn/

a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers

From this reading Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.

LeavingnounUS /ˈliːvɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

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

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

OldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

PathnounUS /pæθ/

a course of conduct

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

Pennillion

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

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

Plynlimmon

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

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

Rheidol

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

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “Because, sir,” said he, “there was a castle here in the old time.”

SevernnounUS /ˈsevərn/

a river in Ontario that flows northeast into Hudson Bay

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

sirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading “Because, sir,” said he, “there was a castle here in the old time.”

SourcenounUS /sɔːrs/

the place where something begins, where it springs into being

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

spokenounUS /spoʊk/

support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

steepadjectiveUS /stiːp/

having a sharp inclination

From this reading Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.

SuppernounUS /ˈsʌpər/

a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading “Because, sir,” said he, “there was a castle here in the old time.”

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading “Because, sir,” said he, “there was a castle here in the old time.”

TimesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading The Guide—The Great Plynlimmon—A Dangerous Path—Source of the Rheidol—Source of the Severn—Pennillion—Old Times and New—The Corpse-Candle—Supper.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Leaving the inn my guide and myself began to ascend a steep hill just behind it.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

WhereaboutsnounUS /ˈwerəbaʊts/

the general location where something is

From this reading “Whereabouts was it?” said I.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

whynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading When we were about half way up I asked my companion, who spoke very fair English, why the place was called the Castle.

Chapter 33 of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery by George Borrow holds 291 sentences, grouped into 59 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 33 of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery contain?

Chapter 33 holds 291 sentences of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery, unabridged, divided into 59 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 33 of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery by George Borrow exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 291 sentences, grouped into 59 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 33 of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery?

Work through the 59 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 59 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 33 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 33 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 Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery

Common questions about reading Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery by George Borrow on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery?

Yes. All 10903 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #37665 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #37665, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2181 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery section by section

How to work through Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery 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 Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery

Words and structures a reader meets early in Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Invited
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Editor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Series
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Words
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.