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April's Lady: A Novel
April's Lady: A Novel

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of April's Lady: A Novel is here in full — 345 sentences across 69 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for April's Lady: A Novel
Context Illustration Reading 1/69 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"No love lost between us."
"Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.
He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.
"Now for it.
Have no qualms.
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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.

April's Lady: A Novel

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of April's Lady: A Novel is here in full — 345 sentences across 69 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/69 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"No love lost between us."
/noʊ lʌv lɔːst bɪˈtwiːn ʌs/
Line 2
"Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.
Line 3
He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.
/hiː hæz kloʊzd ðə dɔːr ənd ɪz naʊ ˈlʊkɪŋ æt hɜːr wɪð ə dɪˈstɪŋktli ˈkwɪzəkəl laɪt ɪn hɪz aɪz ənd ɪn ðə smaɪl ðæt pɑːrts hɪz lɪps/
Line 4
"Now for it.
/naʊ fɔːr ɪt/
Line 5
Have no qualms.
/hæv noʊ kwɑːmz/

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.

closed adjective US /kloʊzd/

not open or affording passage or access

From this reading “He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.”

distinctly adverb US /dɪˈstɪŋktli/

clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment

From this reading “He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.”

nondescript adjective US /ˈnɑːndɪˈskrɪpt/

lacking distinct or individual characteristics; dull and uninteresting

From this reading “"Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.”

parts noun US /pɑːrts/

the local environment

From this reading “He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.”

qualms noun US /kwɑːmz/

plural of “qualm” — uneasiness about the fitness of an action

From this reading “Have no qualms.”

quizzical adjective US /ˈkwɪzəkəl/

playfully vexing (especially by ridicule)

From this reading “He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.”

study noun US /ˈstʌdi/

a detailed critical inspection

From this reading “"Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.”

turning noun US /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course

From this reading “"Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.”

All words in this reading · 45

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 "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading "No love lost between us."

closedadjectiveUS /kloʊzd/

not open or affording passage or access

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

distinctlyadverbUS /dɪˈstɪŋktli/

clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "Now for it.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Have no qualms.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "Now for it.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

lipsnounUS /lɪps/

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

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

From this reading "No love lost between us."

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading "No love lost between us."

Monkton

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

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading "No love lost between us."

nondescriptadjectiveUS /ˈnɑːndɪˈskrɪpt/

lacking distinct or individual characteristics; dull and uninteresting

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

partsnounUS /pɑːrts/

the local environment

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

qualmsnounUS /kwɑːmz/

plural of “qualm” — uneasiness about the fitness of an action

From this reading Have no qualms.

quizzicaladjectiveUS /ˈkwɪzəkəl/

playfully vexing (especially by ridicule)

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

saysnounUS /sez/

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

smileverbUS /smaɪl/

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

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

studynounUS /ˈstʌdi/

a detailed critical inspection

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

turningnounUS /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "No love lost between us."

WelladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

wifenounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading "Well," says Mr. Monkton, turning to his wife as the study (a rather nondescript place) is reached.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He has closed the door, and is now looking at her with a distinctly quizzical light in his eyes and in the smile that parts his lips.

Chapter 2 of April's Lady: A Novel by Duchess holds 345 sentences, grouped into 69 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 2 of April's Lady: A Novel contain?

Chapter 2 holds 345 sentences of April's Lady: A Novel, unabridged, divided into 69 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of April's Lady: A Novel by Duchess exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 345 sentences, grouped into 69 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 April's Lady: A Novel?

Work through the 69 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 69 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 April's Lady: A Novel

Common questions about reading April's Lady: A Novel by Duchess on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of April's Lady: A Novel?

Yes. All 8969 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21641 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of April's Lady: A Novel is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #21641, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does April's Lady: A Novel take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1794 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in April's Lady: A Novel

Words and structures a reader meets early in April's Lady: A Novel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Philosophy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of April's Lady: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Triumphs
A word that appears in the opening chapter of April's Lady: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Easily
A word that appears in the opening chapter of April's Lady: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Future
A word that appears in the opening chapter of April's Lady: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.