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A Question
A Question

Chapter VI · Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of A Question is here in full — 181 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Question
Context Illustration Reading 1/36 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.
Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.
Even at a distance the girl saw that the seat was not vacant.
The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.
Were they now using the bench to spread out the garments they had rinsed?
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Question

Chapter VI · Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of A Question is here in full — 181 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/36 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.
Line 2
Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.
/ˈmeni ə ˈwɪntər hæd ˈluːsənd ðə ˈdɪfərənt blɑːks ənd ˈbɔːrdərd ðem wɪð ˈjeloʊ ˈedʒəz/
Line 3
Even at a distance the girl saw that the seat was not vacant.
/ˈiːvɪn æt ə ˈdɪstəns ðə ɡɜːrl sɔː ðæt ðə siːt wɑːz nɑːt ˈveɪkənt/
Line 4
The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.
/ðə brʊk ðæt floʊd frʌm ðə sprɪŋ tuː ðə siː ræn bɪˈniːθ ɪt ənd ðə meɪd ˈsɜːrvənts wɜːr ɪn ðə ˈhæbət ʌv ˈwɑːʃɪŋ ðə ˈhaʊshoʊld ˈlɪnən ɪn ɪts swɪft ˈkɜːrənt/
Line 5
Were they now using the bench to spread out the garments they had rinsed?

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.

blocks noun US /blɑːks/

plural of “block” — a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides)

From this reading “Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.”

bordered adjective US /ˈbɔːrdərd/

having a border especially of a specified kind; sometimes used as a combining term

From this reading “Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.”

dike noun US /daɪk/

(slang) offensive term for a lesbian who is noticeably masculine

From this reading “The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.”

edges noun US /ˈedʒəz/

plural of “edge” — the boundary of a surface

From this reading “Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.”

flowed verb US /floʊd/

past form of “flow” — move or progress freely as if in a stream

From this reading “The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.”

loosened adjective US /ˈluːsənd/

straightened out

From this reading “Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.”

vacant adjective US /ˈveɪkənt/

void of intelligence or thought

From this reading “Even at a distance the girl saw that the seat was not vacant.”

washing noun US /ˈwɑːʃɪŋ/

the work of cleansing (usually with soap and water)

From this reading “The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.”

All words in this reading · 69

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 rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Even at a distance the girl saw that the seat was not vacant.

beautifully-polished

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

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

belongedverbUS /bɪˈlɔːŋd/

past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

benchnounUS /bentʃ/

a long seat for more than one person

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

blocksnounUS /blɑːks/

plural of “block” — a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides)

From this reading Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.

borderedadjectiveUS /ˈbɔːrdərd/

having a border especially of a specified kind; sometimes used as a combining term

From this reading Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.

brooknounUS /brʊk/

a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

commonadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmən/

belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

currentnounUS /ˈkɜːrənt/

a flow of electricity through a conductor

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

differentadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfərənt/

unlike in nature or quality or form or degree

From this reading Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.

dikenounUS /daɪk/

(slang) offensive term for a lesbian who is noticeably masculine

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading Even at a distance the girl saw that the seat was not vacant.

edgesnounUS /ˈedʒəz/

plural of “edge” — the boundary of a surface

From this reading Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.

EvenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Even at a distance the girl saw that the seat was not vacant.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

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

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

flowedverbUS /floʊd/

past form of “flow” — move or progress freely as if in a stream

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

garmentsnounUS /ˈɡɑːrmənts/

plural of “garment” — an article of clothing

From this reading Were they now using the bench to spread out the garments they had rinsed?

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading Even at a distance the girl saw that the seat was not vacant.

grewverbUS /ɡruː/

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

habitnounUS /ˈhæbət/

an established custom

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

householdnounUS /ˈhaʊshoʊld/

a social unit living together

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

linennounUS /ˈlɪnən/

a fabric woven with fibers from the flax plant

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

loosenedadjectiveUS /ˈluːsənd/

straightened out

From this reading Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.

maidnounUS /meɪd/

a female domestic

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

ManyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.

marblenounUS /ˈmɑːrbəl/

a hard crystalline metamorphic rock that takes a high polish; used for sculpture and as building material

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Even at a distance the girl saw that the seat was not vacant.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading Were they now using the bench to spread out the garments they had rinsed?

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Were they now using the bench to spread out the garments they had rinsed?

ranverbUS /ræn/

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

rinsed

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

From this reading Were they now using the bench to spread out the garments they had rinsed?

rose-bush

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

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading Even at a distance the girl saw that the seat was not vacant.

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

seatnounUS /siːt/

a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)

From this reading Even at a distance the girl saw that the seat was not vacant.

servantsnounUS /ˈsɜːrvənts/

plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

spreadverbUS /spred/

distribute or disperse widely

From this reading Were they now using the bench to spread out the garments they had rinsed?

springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

swiftadjectiveUS /swɪft/

moving very fast

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Were they now using the bench to spread out the garments they had rinsed?

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

unclenounUS /ˈʌŋkəl/

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

usingnounUS /ˈjuːzɪŋ/

an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)

From this reading Were they now using the bench to spread out the garments they had rinsed?

vacantadjectiveUS /ˈveɪkənt/

void of intelligence or thought

From this reading Even at a distance the girl saw that the seat was not vacant.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Even at a distance the girl saw that the seat was not vacant.

washingnounUS /ˈwɑːʃɪŋ/

the work of cleansing (usually with soap and water)

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

wentverbUS /went/

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

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The brook that flowed from the spring to the sea ran beneath it, and the maid- servants were in the habit of washing the household linen in its swift current.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

winternounUS /ˈwɪntər/

the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox

From this reading Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.

Xanthe

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

From this reading The rose-bush to which Xanthe went grew on the dike that belonged in common to her father and uncle, beside a bench of beautifully-polished white marble.

yellowadjectiveUS /ˈjeloʊ/

of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk

From this reading Many a winter had loosened the different blocks, and bordered them with yellow edges.

Chapter 6 of A Question by Georg Ebers holds 181 sentences, grouped into 37 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 6 of A Question contain?

Chapter 6 holds 181 sentences of A Question, unabridged, divided into 37 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 6 of A Question by Georg Ebers exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 181 sentences, grouped into 37 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 6 of A Question?

Work through the 37 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 37 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 6 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 6 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 Question

Common questions about reading A Question by Georg Ebers on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Question?

Yes. All 934 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5588 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Question is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #5588, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Question take to read?

About 77 minutes of reading across 187 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Question section by section

How to work through A Question section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 6 chapters of A Question 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 A Question

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

House-keeper
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Question; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Steward
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Question; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sea-water
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Question; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Haven't
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Question; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.