Ebooks

The ebook reader turns EPUB files into interactive language-learning material. It pairs a Readium-based reading experience with text-to-speech, shadow reading, and inline translations.

Opening an Ebook

1. Import an .epub file from the media library or open an existing one.
2. The reader loads the publication into a paginated, themeable view.
3. Reading position, bookmarks, and TTS state are restored automatically.

Reading Interface

Header

The reader header shows the title and author, with controls to:

• Go back to the library
• Open the Table of Contents
• Jump to the previous or next chapter
• Open reader settings (theme, font size, layout)

Table of Contents

The TOC is rendered as a sheet/drawer. Tap any entry to navigate to that location in the book.

Body

The body is a paginated Readium navigator. Swipe, click, or use the arrow keys to move between pages.

Text-to-Speech (TTS)

TTS reads the current sentence aloud. It is fully keyboard-controllable when active.

• Space - Play / Pause
• A - Play previous sentence
• D - Play next sentence
• Shift + , / Shift + . - Decrease / Increase speed

When a sentence is playing, the corresponding text is highlighted in the reader.

Shadow Reading in Ebooks

You can practice pronunciation against any sentence the TTS engine produces.

1. Press R while a sentence is highlighted to start recording.
2. Press R again to stop.
3. Use V to toggle the pronunciation assessment and review feedback.
4. Use P to compare your pitch contour against the reference.

Inline Translations

Select any word or sentence in the reader body to see a translation popover. The selection detector supports both mouse and touch selection on tablets.

Theming and Layout

Open the reader settings to adjust:

• Theme — Light, sepia, dark, or custom reader theme
• Font size — For body text and headings
• Layout — Paginated or scrolled

Theme choices are stored per-book and persist across sessions.

Tips for Reading Practice

• Use the TOC for chapter-level jumps — Faster than swiping through pages.
• TTS + shadow reading combo — Listen, then immediately record to lock in pronunciation.
• Adjust speed gradually — Start at 0.8x for difficult passages, work up to 1.0x+.