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A Woman of Thirty
A Woman of Thirty

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of A Woman of Thirty is here in full — 165 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.
He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.
He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain a good position,” as we call it in modern days.
He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.
But M. de Vandenesse had another reason for his survey.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Woman of Thirty

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of A Woman of Thirty is here in full — 165 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/33 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.
Line 2
He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.
/hiː fɔːrst bæk ˈɪntuː sʌm ˈɪnər depθ ðə ˌdʒenərˈɑːsəti ənd ɪnˈθuːziæzəmz ʌv juːθ ənd baɪ ˈneɪtʃər hiː wɑːz ˈdʒenərəs/
Line 3
He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gaina good position,” as we call it in modern days.
/hiː traɪd hɑːrd tuː biː kuːl ənd ˈkælkjəleɪtɪŋ tuː kɔɪn ðə fʌnd ʌv welθ wɪtʃ tʃænst tuː biː ɪn hɪz ˈneɪtʃər ˈɪntuː ˈɡreɪʃəs ˈmænərz ənd ˈkɜːrtəsi ənd əˈtræktɪv ɑːrts tɪz ðə ˈprɑːpər tæsk ʌv æn æmˈbɪʃəs mæn tuː pleɪ ə ˈsɑːri pɑːrt tuː ɡeɪn ə ɡʊd pəˈzɪʃən æz wiː kɔːl ɪt ɪn ˈmɑːdərn deɪz/
Line 4
He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.
Line 5
But M. de Vandenesse had another reason for his survey.

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.

calculating adjective US /ˈkælkjəleɪtɪŋ/

acting with a specific goal

From this reading “He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.”

enthusiasms noun US /ɪnˈθuːziæzəmz/

plural of “enthusiasm” — a feeling of excitement

From this reading “He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.”

fund noun US /fʌnd/

a reserve of money set aside for some purpose

From this reading “He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.”

illusions noun US /ˌɪˈluːʒənz/

plural of “illusion” — an erroneous mental representation

From this reading “Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.”

philosophic adjective US /ˌfɪləˈsɑːfɪk/

of or relating to philosophy or philosophers

From this reading “Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.”

prompts noun US /prɑːmpts/

plural of “prompt” — a cue given to a performer (usually the beginning of the next line to be spoken)

From this reading “He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.”

survey noun US /sərˈveɪ/

a detailed critical inspection

From this reading “But M. de Vandenesse had another reason for his survey.”

tableau noun US /təˈbloʊ/

a group of people attractively arranged (as if in a painting)

From this reading “He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.”

All words in this reading · 117

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 Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

ambitiousadjectiveUS /æmˈbɪʃəs/

having a strong desire for success or achievement

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading But M. de Vandenesse had another reason for his survey.

artsnounUS /ɑːrts/

studies intended to provide general knowledge and intellectual skills (rather than occupational or professional skills)

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

attractiveadjectiveUS /əˈtræktɪv/

pleasing to the eye or mind especially through beauty or charm

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.

ballnounUS /bɔːl/

round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

boxnounUS /bɑːks/

a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But M. de Vandenesse had another reason for his survey.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.

calculatingadjectiveUS /ˈkælkjəleɪtɪŋ/

acting with a specific goal

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

carryverbUS /ˈkæri/

move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

chancedverbUS /tʃænst/

past form of “chance” — be the case by chance

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

CharlesnounUS /tʃɑːrlz/

King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

coinverbUS /kɔɪn/

make up

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

concerningverbUS /kənˈsɜːrnɪŋ/

-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

cooladjectiveUS /kuːl/

neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

courtesynounUS /ˈkɜːrtəsi/

a courteous or respectful or considerate act

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

curtainnounUS /ˈkɜːrtən/

hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

dancingnounUS /ˈdænsɪŋ/

taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

denounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading But M. de Vandenesse had another reason for his survey.

depthnounUS /depθ/

the extent downward or backward or inward

From this reading He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.

distinctadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋkt/

(often followed by “from”) not alike; different in nature or quality

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

doubtlessadverbUS /ˈdaʊtləs/

without doubt; certainly

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

endsnounUS /endz/

plural of “end” — either extremity of something that has length

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

enthusiasmsnounUS /ɪnˈθuːziæzəmz/

plural of “enthusiasm” — a feeling of excitement

From this reading He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.

extentnounUS /ɪkˈstent/

the point or degree to which something extends

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

fallsnounUS /fɔːlz/

the petals or sepals of a flower that bend downward (especially the outer perianth of an iris)

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

farewellnounUS /ˌferˈwel/

an acknowledgment or expression of goodwill at parting

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

feelingnounUS /ˈfiːlɪŋ/

the experiencing of affective and emotional states

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

finaladjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəl/

occurring at or forming an end or termination

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading But M. de Vandenesse had another reason for his survey.

forcedadjectiveUS /fɔːrst/

produced by or subjected to forcing

From this reading He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.

fundnounUS /fʌnd/

a reserve of money set aside for some purpose

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

gainverbUS /ɡeɪn/

obtain

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

generositynounUS /ˌdʒenərˈɑːsəti/

the trait of being willing to give your money or time

From this reading He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.

generousadjectiveUS /ˈdʒenərəs/

willing to give and share unstintingly

From this reading He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.

glanceverbUS /ɡlæns/

throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

graciousadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪʃəs/

characterized by charm, good taste, and generosity of spirit

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

illusionsnounUS /ˌɪˈluːʒənz/

plural of “illusion” — an erroneous mental representation

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

impressionnounUS /ˌɪmˈpreʃən/

a vague idea in which some confidence is placed

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

inneradjectiveUS /ˈɪnər/

located inward

From this reading He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

MnounUS /em/

the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

From this reading But M. de Vandenesse had another reason for his survey.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

mannersnounUS /ˈmænərz/

social deportment

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

meansnounUS /miːnz/

thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

modernadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːdərn/

belonging to the modern era; since the Middle Ages

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

movedadjectiveUS /muːvd/

being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

philosophicadjectiveUS /ˌfɪləˈsɑːfɪk/

of or relating to philosophy or philosophers

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

playverbUS /pleɪ/

participate in games or sport

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

pleasurenounUS /ˈpleʒər/

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

positionnounUS /pəˈzɪʃən/

the particular portion of space occupied by something

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

promptsnounUS /prɑːmpts/

plural of “prompt” — a cue given to a performer (usually the beginning of the next line to be spoken)

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

properadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːpər/

marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading But M. de Vandenesse had another reason for his survey.

roomsnounUS /ruːmz/

apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

scarcelyadverbUS /ˈskersli/

only a very short time before

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

sentimentsnounUS /ˈsentəmənts/

plural of “sentiment” — tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.

sorryadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːri/

feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

stayverbUS /steɪ/

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

surveynounUS /sərˈveɪ/

a detailed critical inspection

From this reading But M. de Vandenesse had another reason for his survey.

tableaunounUS /təˈbloʊ/

a group of people attractively arranged (as if in a painting)

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

tasknounUS /tæsk/

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

theatre-goer

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

From this reading He had been dancing, and now he gave a farewell glance over the rooms, to carry away a distinct impression of the ball, moved, doubtless, to some extent by the feeling which prompts a theatre-goer to stay in his box to see the final tableau before the curtain falls.

theoriesnounUS /ˈθɪriz/

plural of “theory” — a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

thinkingnounUS /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/

the process of using your mind to consider something carefully

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

thirtynounUS /ˈθɜːrdiː/

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

tisnounUS /tɪz/

plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

Vandenesse

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

From this reading But M. de Vandenesse had another reason for his survey.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

wealthnounUS /welθ/

the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading He tried hard to be cool and calculating, to coin the fund of wealth which chanced to be in his nature into gracious manners, and courtesy, and attractive arts; ‘tis the proper task of an ambitious man, to play a sorry part to gain “a good position,” as we call it in modern days.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

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

From this reading Charles, young though he was--he was scarcely turned thirty--looked at life with a philosophic mind, concerning himself with theories and means and ends, while other men of his age were thinking of pleasure, sentiments, and the like illusions.

youthnounUS /juːθ/

a young person (especially a young man or boy)

From this reading He forced back into some inner depth the generosity and enthusiasms of youth, and by nature he was generous.

Chapter 11 of A Woman of Thirty by Honoré de Balzac holds 165 sentences, grouped into 33 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 11 of A Woman of Thirty contain?

Chapter 11 holds 165 sentences of A Woman of Thirty, unabridged, divided into 33 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 11 of A Woman of Thirty by Honoré de Balzac exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 165 sentences, grouped into 33 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 11 of A Woman of Thirty?

Work through the 33 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 33 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 11 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 11 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 Woman of Thirty

Common questions about reading A Woman of Thirty by Honoré de Balzac on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Woman of Thirty?

Yes. All 3279 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1950 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Woman of Thirty is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1950, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Woman of Thirty take to read?

About 273 minutes of reading across 656 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Woman of Thirty section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of A Woman of Thirty 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 Woman of Thirty

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

Louis
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Woman of Thirty; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Boulanger
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Woman of Thirty; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Painter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Woman of Thirty; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sunday
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Woman of Thirty; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.