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A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls
A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls

Chapter XXIV · Chapter 24

Chapter 24 of A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls is here in full — 396 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls
Context Illustration Reading 1/79 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
GUNPOWDER IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP.
Miss Archer was a most splendid director of a school.
She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.
Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.
But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls

Chapter XXIV · Chapter 24

Chapter 24 of A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls is here in full — 396 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/79 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
GUNPOWDER IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP.
/ˈɡʌnpaʊdər ɪn ðə ˈenəmiz kæmp/
Line 2
Miss Archer was a most splendid director of a school.
/mɪs ˈɑːrtʃər wɑːz ə moʊst ˈsplendɪd dərˈektər ʌv ə skuːl/
Line 3
She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.
Line 4
Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.
Line 5
But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.
/bʌt wen ʃiː went ˈdaʊnˈsterz ənd tʊk hɜːr pleɪs ɪn ðə klæs ənd faʊnd ðæt ˈæftər ɔːl ʃiː wɑːz nɑːt sʌtʃ æn ˌɪɡnərˈeɪməs æz hɜːr kəmˈpænjənz ˈevədəntli ɪkˈspektəd tuː faɪnd hɜːr hɜːr ˈspɪrɪts roʊz ənd fɔːr ðə fɜːrst taɪm ɪn hɜːr eɡˈzɪstəns ə sens ʌv æmˈbɪʃən əˈwoʊk wɪˈðɪn hɜːr/

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.

Archer noun US /ˈɑːrtʃər/

a person who is expert in the use of a bow and arrow

From this reading “Miss Archer was a most splendid director of a school.”

arranging noun US /ərˈeɪndʒɪŋ/

the act of arranging and adapting a piece of music

From this reading “She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.”

department noun US /dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/

a specialized division of a large organization

From this reading “She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.”

director noun US /dərˈektər/

someone who controls resources and expenditures

From this reading “Miss Archer was a most splendid director of a school.”

enemy's noun US /ˈenəmiz/

possessive form of “enemy” — an opposing military force

From this reading “GUNPOWDER IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP.”

Frost noun US /frɔːst/

ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)

From this reading “She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.”

gunpowder noun US /ˈɡʌnpaʊdər/

a mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur in a 75:15:10 ratio which is used in gunnery, time fuses, and fireworks

From this reading “GUNPOWDER IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP.”

ignoramus noun US /ˌɪɡnərˈeɪməs/

an ignorant person

From this reading “But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.”

All words in this reading · 103

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 Miss Archer was a most splendid director of a school.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

Agnes

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

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

ambitionnounUS /æmˈbɪʃən/

a cherished desire

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

ArchernounUS /ˈɑːrtʃər/

a person who is expert in the use of a bow and arrow

From this reading Miss Archer was a most splendid director of a school.

arrangingnounUS /ərˈeɪndʒɪŋ/

the act of arranging and adapting a piece of music

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

arrivalnounUS /ərˈaɪvəl/

accomplishment of an objective

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

awokeverbUS /əˈwoʊk/

inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

badadjectiveUS /bæd/

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

CAMPnounUS /kæmp/

temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers

From this reading GUNPOWDER IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP.

charactersnounUS /ˈkærəktərz/

plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

classnounUS /klæs/

a collection of things sharing a common attribute

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

companionsnounUS /kəmˈpænjənz/

plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

departmentnounUS /dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/

a specialized division of a large organization

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

differentadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfərənt/

unlike in nature or quality or form or degree

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

directornounUS /dərˈektər/

someone who controls resources and expenditures

From this reading Miss Archer was a most splendid director of a school.

downstairsadverbUS /ˈdaʊnˈsterz/

on a floor below

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

eldernounUS /ˈeldər/

a person who is older than you are

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

ENEMY'SnounUS /ˈenəmiz/

possessive form of “enemy” — an opposing military force

From this reading GUNPOWDER IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP.

evidentlyadverbUS /ˈevədəntli/

unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

excellentadjectiveUS /ˈeksələnt/

very good; of the highest quality

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

existencenounUS /eɡˈzɪstəns/

the state or fact of existing

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

factnounUS /fækt/

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

fairadjectiveUS /fer/

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

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

FrenchnounUS /frentʃ/

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

FrostnounUS /frɔːst/

ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

furtheradverbUS /ˈfɜːrðər/

to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

gentleadjectiveUS /ˈdʒentəl/

soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/

possessive form of “girl” — a young female

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

girlsnounUS /ɡɜːrlz/

plural of “girl” — a young female

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

glanceverbUS /ɡlæns/

throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

GUNPOWDERnounUS /ˈɡʌnpaʊdər/

a mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur in a 75:15:10 ratio which is used in gunnery, time fuses, and fireworks

From this reading GUNPOWDER IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP.

hairnounUS /her/

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

helpedverbUS /helpt/

past form of “help” — give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

ignoramusnounUS /ˌɪɡnərˈeɪməs/

an ignorant person

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading GUNPOWDER IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP.

Irene

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

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

lessonsnounUS /ˈlesənz/

plural of “lesson” — a unit of instruction

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

lyingnounUS /ˈlaɪɪŋ/

the deliberate act of deviating from the truth

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

MademoisellenounUS /ˌmædəməˈzel/

small silvery drumfish often mistaken for white perch; found along coasts of United States from New York to Mexico

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

Merriman

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

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

MissverbUS /mɪs/

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading Miss Archer was a most splendid director of a school.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading Miss Archer was a most splendid director of a school.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

notwithstandingadverbUS /ˌnɑːtwɪθˈstændɪŋ/

despite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

objectnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekt/

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Miss Archer was a most splendid director of a school.

Omont

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

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

pressedadjectiveUS /prest/

compacted by ironing

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

readverbUS /red/

interpret something that is written or printed

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

rosenounUS /roʊz/

any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

schoolnounUS /skuːl/

an educational institution

From this reading Miss Archer was a most splendid director of a school.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

shoulderverbUS /ˈʃoʊldər/

lift onto one's shoulders

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

spareverbUS /sper/

refrain from harming

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

spiritsnounUS /ˈspɪrɪts/

an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

splendidadjectiveUS /ˈsplendɪd/

having great beauty and splendor

From this reading Miss Archer was a most splendid director of a school.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

teachernounUS /ˈtiːtʃər/

a person whose occupation is teaching

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

tempernounUS /ˈtempər/

a sudden outburst of anger

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading GUNPOWDER IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

troublenounUS /ˈtrʌbəl/

a source of difficulty

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Miss Archer was a most splendid director of a school.

wentverbUS /went/

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

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Irene, on the morning after her arrival, awoke in a bad temper, notwithstanding the fact that sweet little gentle Agnes was lying close to her, with her pretty head of fair hair pressed against the elder girl's shoulder.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading But when she went downstairs, and took her place in the class, and found that, after all, she was not such an ignoramus as her companions evidently expected to find her, her spirits rose, and for the first time in her existence a sense of ambition awoke within her.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading She was the sort of woman who could read girls' characters at a glance; and as her object was to spare Mrs. Merriman all trouble, and as she was now further helped by Miss Frost, a most excellent teacher herself, and Mademoiselle Omont took the French department, there was very little trouble in arranging the lessons of the different girls.

Chapter 24 of A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls by L. T. Meade holds 396 sentences, grouped into 80 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 24 of A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls contain?

Chapter 24 holds 396 sentences of A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 24 of A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls by L. T. Meade exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 396 sentences, grouped into 80 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 24 of A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls?

Work through the 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 80 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 24 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 24 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 Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls

Common questions about reading A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls by L. T. Meade on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls?

Yes. All 6311 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #22164 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #22164, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls take to read?

About 525 minutes of reading across 1263 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls section by section

How to work through A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Opening
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
School
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Merriman
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Standing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Modern Tomboy: A Story for Girls; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.