Chapter 1 of Witty Pieces by Witty People is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Witty Pieces by Witty People is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The Popular Series of Choice Novels. A BOOK OF FUNNY STORIES. AT PLAY. 528 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pa. WITTY PIECES BY WITTY PEOPLE.
Chapter 1 of Witty Pieces by Witty People is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/84 · 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.
the person or thing chosen or selected
From this reading “The Popular Series of Choice Novels.”
arousing or provoking laughter
From this reading “A BOOK OF FUNNY STORIES.”
migratory grasshoppers of warm regions having short antennae
From this reading “528 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pa.”
plural of “novel” — an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
From this reading “The Popular Series of Choice Novels.”
the largest city in Pennsylvania; located in the southeastern part of the state on the Delaware river; site of Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed; site of the University of Pennsylvania
From this reading “528 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pa.”
regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially by the general public
From this reading “The Popular Series of Choice Novels.”
similar things placed in order or happening one after another
From this reading “The Popular Series of Choice Novels.”
combining clever conception and facetious expression
From this reading “WITTY PIECES BY WITTY PEOPLE.”
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.
an account of an amusing incident (usually with a punch line)
In this reading “A BOOK OF FUNNY STORIES.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 528 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A BOOK OF FUNNY STORIES.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading AT PLAY.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading A BOOK OF FUNNY STORIES.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading WITTY PIECES BY WITTY PEOPLE.
the person or thing chosen or selected
From this reading The Popular Series of Choice Novels.
arousing or provoking laughter
From this reading A BOOK OF FUNNY STORIES.
migratory grasshoppers of warm regions having short antennae
From this reading 528 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
plural of “novel” — an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
From this reading The Popular Series of Choice Novels.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Popular Series of Choice Novels.
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading 528 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading WITTY PIECES BY WITTY PEOPLE.
the largest city in Pennsylvania; located in the southeastern part of the state on the Delaware river; site of Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed; site of the University of Pennsylvania
From this reading 528 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole
From this reading WITTY PIECES BY WITTY PEOPLE.
participate in games or sport
From this reading AT PLAY.
regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially by the general public
From this reading The Popular Series of Choice Novels.
similar things placed in order or happening one after another
From this reading The Popular Series of Choice Novels.
plural of “story” — 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 A BOOK OF FUNNY STORIES.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading 528 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Popular Series of Choice Novels.
combining clever conception and facetious expression
From this reading WITTY PIECES BY WITTY PEOPLE.
Chapter 1 of Witty Pieces by Witty People by Various holds 420 sentences, grouped into 84 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 420 sentences of Witty Pieces by Witty People, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Witty Pieces by Witty People by Various exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 420 sentences, grouped into 84 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 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 84 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 Witty Pieces by Witty People by Various on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2504 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #43101 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #43101, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 208 minutes of reading across 501 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Witty Pieces by Witty People section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 6 chapters of Witty Pieces by Witty People 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 Witty Pieces by Witty People, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
