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A Second Home
A Second Home

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of A Second Home is here in full — 137 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.
Then for the first time the old mother awoke.
Caroline, she has heard everything!” said Roger suspiciously in the girl’s ear.
Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.
Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Second Home

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of A Second Home is here in full — 137 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.
Line 2
Then for the first time the old mother awoke.
/ðen fɔːr ðə fɜːrst taɪm ðə oʊld ˈmʌðər əˈwoʊk/
Line 3
Caroline, she has heard everything!” said Roger suspiciously in the girl’s ear.
Line 4
Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.
Line 5
Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

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.

approved adjective US /əˈpruːvd/

established by authority; given authoritative approval

From this reading “Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.”

Caroline adjective US /ˈkerəlaɪn/

of or relating to the life and times of kings Charles I or Charles II of England

From this reading “Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.”

disbelief noun US /ˌdɪsbɪˈliːf/

doubt about the truth of something

From this reading “Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.”

dissipated adjective US /ˈdɪsəpeɪtɪd/

unrestrained by convention or morality

From this reading “Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.”

fragrant adjective US /ˈfreɪɡrənt/

pleasant-smelling

From this reading “Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.”

meadows noun US /ˈmedoʊz/

plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay

From this reading “Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.”

suspiciously adverb US /səˈspɪʃəsli/

with suspicion

From this reading ““Caroline, she has heard everything!” said Roger suspiciously in the girl’s ear.”

wander verb US /ˈwɑːndər/

move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading “Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.”

All words in this reading · 91

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.

agreedadjectiveUS /əˈɡriːd/

united by being of the same opinion

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

amazedadjectiveUS /əˈmeɪzd/

filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

approvedadjectiveUS /əˈpruːvd/

established by authority; given authoritative approval

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

awokeverbUS /əˈwoʊk/

inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping

From this reading Then for the first time the old mother awoke.

becomeverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

brownounUS /braʊ/

the part of the face above the eyes

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

callingnounUS /ˈkɔːlɪŋ/

the particular occupation for which you are trained

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

CarolineadjectiveUS /ˈkerəlaɪn/

of or relating to the life and times of kings Charles I or Charles II of England

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

Caroline's

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

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

carriagenounUS /ˈkærɪdʒ/

a railcar where passengers ride

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

cloudverbUS /klaʊd/

make overcast or cloudy

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

conversationnounUS /ˌkɑːnvərˈseɪʃən/

the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

copses

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

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

Crochard

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

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

daughternounUS /ˈdɔːtər/

a female human offspring

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

disbeliefnounUS /ˌdɪsbɪˈliːf/

doubt about the truth of something

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

dissipatedadjectiveUS /ˈdɪsəpeɪtɪd/

unrestrained by convention or morality

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

earnounUS /iːr/

the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading “Caroline, she has heard everything!” said Roger suspiciously in the girl’s ear.

everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading “Caroline, she has heard everything!” said Roger suspiciously in the girl’s ear.

exquisiteadjectiveUS /ˈekskwəzət/

intense or sharp

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

famousadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪməs/

widely known and esteemed

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

fearverbUS /fɪr/

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/

past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Then for the first time the old mother awoke.

fragrantadjectiveUS /ˈfreɪɡrənt/

pleasant-smelling

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

gentlemannounUS /ˈdʒentəlmən/

a man of refinement

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/

possessive form of “girl” — a young female

From this reading “Caroline, she has heard everything!” said Roger suspiciously in the girl’s ear.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading “Caroline, she has heard everything!” said Roger suspiciously in the girl’s ear.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading “Caroline, she has heard everything!” said Roger suspiciously in the girl’s ear.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

Hortense

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

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

housesnounUS /ˈhaʊsəz/

plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “Caroline, she has heard everything!” said Roger suspiciously in the girl’s ear.

insensiblyadverb

in a numb manner; without feeling

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

intimateadjectiveUS /ˈɪntəmət/

marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

MadamenounUS /ˈmædəm/

title used for a married Frenchwoman

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

meadowsnounUS /ˈmedoʊz/

plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

MonsieurnounUS /məˈsjɜːr/

used as a French courtesy title; equivalent to English “Mr”

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

mortal's

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

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading Then for the first time the old mother awoke.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Then for the first time the old mother awoke.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

parknounUS /pɑːrk/

a large area of land preserved in its natural state as public property

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

plotnounUS /plɑːt/

a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

QueennounUS /kwiːn/

the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

replynounUS /rɪˈplaɪ/

a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

Roger

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

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “Caroline, she has heard everything!” said Roger suspiciously in the girl’s ear.

Saint-Leu

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

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading “Caroline, she has heard everything!” said Roger suspiciously in the girl’s ear.

smileverbUS /smaɪl/

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

smilingnounUS /ˈsmaɪlɪŋ/

a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

stragglingadjective

spreading out in different directions or distributed irregularly

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

suspiciousadjectiveUS /səˈspɪʃəs/

openly distrustful and unwilling to confide

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

suspiciouslyadverbUS /səˈspɪʃəsli/

with suspicion

From this reading “Caroline, she has heard everything!” said Roger suspiciously in the girl’s ear.

tasteverbUS /teɪst/

To perceive flavor through the mouth.

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

TheirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then for the first time the old mother awoke.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

wanderverbUS /ˈwɑːndər/

move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Their conversation had insensibly become so intimate, that by the time when the carriage stopped at the first houses of the straggling village of Saint-Leu, Caroline was calling the gentleman Monsieur Roger.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

woman'snounUS /ˈwʊmənz/

possessive form of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Caroline’s reply was an exquisite smile of disbelief, which dissipated the dark cloud that his fear of some plot on the old woman’s part had brought to this suspicious mortal’s brow.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Madame Crochard was amazed at nothing, approved of everything, followed her daughter and Monsieur Roger into the park, where the two young people had agreed to wander through the smiling meadows and fragrant copses made famous by the taste of Queen Hortense.

Chapter 2 of A Second Home by Honoré de Balzac holds 137 sentences, grouped into 28 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 2 of A Second Home contain?

Chapter 2 holds 137 sentences of A Second Home, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of A Second Home by Honoré de Balzac exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 137 sentences, grouped into 28 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 2 of A Second Home?

Work through the 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 28 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Second Home

Common questions about reading A Second Home by Honoré de Balzac on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Second Home?

Yes. All 1006 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1810 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Second Home is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1810, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Second Home take to read?

About 83 minutes of reading across 202 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Second Home section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 7 chapters of A Second Home 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 Second Home

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

Madame
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Second Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Comtesse
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Second Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Louise
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Second Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Turheim
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Second Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.