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A little Swiss boy
A little Swiss boy

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of A little Swiss boy is here in full — 153 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A little Swiss boy
Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.
Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.
However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.
It was evident he was pondering some difficulty.
Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A little Swiss boy

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of A little Swiss boy is here in full — 153 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.
Line 2
Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.
Line 3
However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.
/ˌhaʊˈevər ðɪs ˈɔːtəm hiː went ərˈaʊnd ɪn ˈsaɪ.ləns ənd ˈɔːfən stʊd lɔːst ɪn θɔːt ˈɡeɪzɪŋ ˈɪntuː speɪs/
Line 4
It was evident he was pondering some difficulty.
/ɪt wɑːz ˈevədənt hiː wɑːz ˈpɑːndərɪŋ sʌm ˈdɪfəkəlti/
Line 5
Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

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.

autumn noun US /ˈɔːtəm/

the season when the leaves fall from the trees

From this reading “However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.”

blessings noun US /ˈblesɪŋz/

plural of “blessing” — the formal act of approving

From this reading “Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.”

harvest noun US /ˈhɑːrvəst/

the yield from plants in a single growing season

From this reading “Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.”

October noun US /ɑːkˈtoʊbər/

the month following September and preceding November

From this reading “SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.”

pondering adjective US /ˈpɑːndərɪŋ/

deeply or seriously thoughtful

From this reading “It was evident he was pondering some difficulty.”

problem noun US /ˈprɑːbləm/

a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved

From this reading “Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.”

september noun US /sepˈtembər/

the month following August and preceding October

From this reading “SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.”

surprises noun US /sərˈpraɪzɪz/

plural of “surprise” — the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading “SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.”

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.

some difficulty adjective + noun

In this reading “It was evident he was pondering some difficulty.”

happy mood adjective + noun

In this reading “Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.”

into space preposition + noun

In this reading “However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.”

in silence preposition + noun

In this reading “However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.”

went around verb + particle counted as “go around”

be sufficient

In this reading “However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.”

All words in this reading · 73

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 Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.

ALONEadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.

autumnnounUS /ˈɔːtəm/

the season when the leaves fall from the trees

From this reading However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.

blessingsnounUS /ˈblesɪŋz/

plural of “blessing” — the formal act of approving

From this reading Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.

bounteousadjective

given or giving freely

From this reading Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.

busyadjectiveUS /ˈbɪzi/

actively or fully engaged or occupied

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

dawnnounUS /dɔːn/

the first light of day

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

difficultynounUS /ˈdɪfəkəlti/

an effort that is inconvenient

From this reading It was evident he was pondering some difficulty.

evidentadjectiveUS /ˈevədənt/

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading It was evident he was pondering some difficulty.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

futureadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtʃər/

yet to be or coming

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

gazingverbUS /ˈɡeɪzɪŋ/

-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.

harvestnounUS /ˈhɑːrvəst/

the yield from plants in a single growing season

From this reading Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

HoweveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.

IndeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was evident he was pondering some difficulty.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

Lesa

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

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.

lovedadjectiveUS /lʌvd/

held dear

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/

plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

moodnounUS /muːd/

a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling

From this reading Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

NOTadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

OctobernounUS /ɑːkˈtoʊbər/

the month following September and preceding November

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

peacenounUS /piːs/

the state prevailing during the absence of war

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

ponderingadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːndərɪŋ/

deeply or seriously thoughtful

From this reading It was evident he was pondering some difficulty.

problemnounUS /ˈprɑːbləm/

a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

proudadjectiveUS /praʊd/

feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

RUSSLI

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

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

seasonnounUS /ˈsiːzən/

a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field

From this reading Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.

SEPTEMBERnounUS /sepˈtembər/

the month following August and preceding October

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading It was evident he was pondering some difficulty.

sonnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

spacenounUS /speɪs/

the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.

SURPRISESnounUS /sərˈpraɪzɪz/

plural of “surprise” — the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

UsuallyadverbUS /ˈjuːʒəwəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading Usually he was in a happy mood at this season because of the blessings of a bounteous harvest.

Vinzenz

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

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

Vinzi's

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

From this reading Indeed, the problem of Vinzi's future filled his mind night and day and left him no peace, for he loved his son and was as proud of him as only a father can be.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading However, this autumn he went around in silence and often stood lost in thought, gazing into space.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading SURPRISES, NOT FOR RUSSLI ALONE SEPTEMBER and October were months of heavy work for Vinzenz Lesa, and he was busy from dawn to dark.

Chapter 9 of A little Swiss boy by Johanna Spyri holds 153 sentences, grouped into 31 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 9 of A little Swiss boy contain?

Chapter 9 holds 153 sentences of A little Swiss boy, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of A little Swiss boy by Johanna Spyri exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 153 sentences, grouped into 31 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 9 of A little Swiss boy?

Work through the 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 31 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 A little Swiss boy

Common questions about reading A little Swiss boy by Johanna Spyri on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A little Swiss boy?

Yes. All 2803 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #73300 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A little Swiss boy is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #73300, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A little Swiss boy take to read?

About 233 minutes of reading across 561 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in A little Swiss boy

Words and structures a reader meets early in A little Swiss boy, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A little Swiss boy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Heidi
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A little Swiss boy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Uncle
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A little Swiss boy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Titus
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A little Swiss boy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.