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"Ask Mamma"
"Ask Mamma"

Chapter XXII · Going to Cover with the Hounds

Chapter XXII of "Ask Mamma", “Going to Cover with the Hounds,” is here in full — 85 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/17 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.
How different again a place looks in the morning to what we have conjectured over-night.
What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.
Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.
A sort of it’s you to do it, not me look.
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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.

"Ask Mamma"

Chapter XXII · Going to Cover with the Hounds

Chapter XXII of "Ask Mamma", “Going to Cover with the Hounds,” is here in full — 85 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/17 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.
Line 2
How different again a place looks in the morning to what we have conjectured over-night.
Line 3
What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.
/wʌt wiː hæv ˈteɪkən fɔːr ˈtaʊərz pərˈhæps hæv pruːvd tuː biː triːz ənd ðə lɑːrdʒ leɪk ɪn frʌnt ə mɪr ˈfloʊtɪŋ mɪst/
Line 4
Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.
Line 5
A sort ofit’s you to do it, not melook.

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.

anticipate verb US /ænˈtɪsəpeɪt/

regard something as probable or likely

From this reading “HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.”

beforehand adjective US /bɪˈfɔːrhænd/

being ahead of time or need

From this reading “HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.”

expectations noun US /ˌekspekˈteɪʃənz/

plural of “expectation” — belief about (or mental picture of) the future

From this reading “HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.”

memorandum noun US /ˌmemərˈændəm/

a written proposal or reminder

From this reading “HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.”

proves verb US /pruːvz/

third-person singular of “prove” — be shown or be found to be

From this reading “HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.”

rakish adjective US /ˈreɪkɪʃ/

marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners

From this reading “Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.”

rented verb US /ˈrentɪd/

past form of “rent” — let for money

From this reading “Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.”

tenant noun US /ˈtenənt/

someone who pays rent to use land or a building or a car that is owned by someone else

From this reading “Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

in front preposition + noun

at or in the front

In this reading “What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.”

large lake adjective + noun

In this reading “What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.”

in the morning preposition + article + noun counted as “in … morning”

In this reading “How different again a place looks in the morning to what we have conjectured over-night.”

All words in this reading · 73

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 HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading How different again a place looks in the morning to what we have conjectured over-night.

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

anticipateverbUS /ænˈtɪsəpeɪt/

regard something as probable or likely

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.

beforehandadjectiveUS /bɪˈfɔːrhænd/

being ahead of time or need

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

carryverbUS /ˈkæri/

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

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

conjectured

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

From this reading How different again a place looks in the morning to what we have conjectured over-night.

contestnounUS /ˈkɑːntest/

an occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

differentadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfərənt/

unlike in nature or quality or form or degree

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

difficultadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfəkəlt/

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

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading A sort of “it’s you to do it, not me” look.

everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

expectationsnounUS /ˌekspekˈteɪʃənz/

plural of “expectation” — belief about (or mental picture of) the future

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/

borne up by or suspended in a liquid

From this reading What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.

generallyadverbUS /ˈdʒenərəli/

usually; as a rule

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

HOW

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

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading How different again a place looks in the morning to what we have conjectured over-night.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

it's

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

From this reading A sort of “it’s you to do it, not me” look.

lakenounUS /leɪk/

a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land

From this reading What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.

landlordnounUS /ˈlændlɔːrd/

a landowner who leases to others

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading A sort of “it’s you to do it, not me” look.

looksnounUS /lʊks/

plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading How different again a place looks in the morning to what we have conjectured over-night.

looseadjectiveUS /luːs/

not compact or dense in structure or arrangement

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading A sort of “it’s you to do it, not me” look.

memorandumnounUS /ˌmemərˈændəm/

a written proposal or reminder

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

mereadjectiveUS /mɪr/

being nothing more than specified

From this reading What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.

mistverbUS /mɪst/

become covered with mist

From this reading What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading How different again a place looks in the morning to what we have conjectured over-night.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading A sort of “it’s you to do it, not me” look.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

over-night

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

From this reading How different again a place looks in the morning to what we have conjectured over-night.

Pangbum

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

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

ParknounUS /pɑːrk/

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

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

peculiaradjectiveUS /pəˈkjuːljər/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

placesnounUS /ˈpleɪsəz/

plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

provedadjectiveUS /pruːvd/

established beyond doubt

From this reading What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.

provesverbUS /pruːvz/

third-person singular of “prove” — be shown or be found to be

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

rakishadjectiveUS /ˈreɪkɪʃ/

marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

recallverbUS /ˈriːkɔːl/

recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

rentedverbUS /ˈrentɪd/

past form of “rent” — let for money

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.

tenantnounUS /ˈtenənt/

someone who pays rent to use land or a building or a car that is owned by someone else

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading How different again a place looks in the morning to what we have conjectured over-night.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

towersnounUS /ˈtaʊərz/

plural of “tower” — a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building

From this reading What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.

treesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading What we have taken for towers perhaps have proved to be trees, and the large lake in front a mere floating mist.

unlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

visibleadjectiveUS /ˈvɪzəbəl/

capable of being seen; or open to easy view

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading HOW different a place generally proves to what we anticipate, and how difficult it is to recall our expectations after we have once seen it, unless we have made a memorandum beforehand.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Pangbum Park had that loose rakish air peculiar to rented places, which carry a sort of visible contest between landlord and tenant on the face of everything.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading A sort of “it’s you to do it, not me” look.

Chapter 22 of "Ask Mamma" by Robert Smith Surtees holds 85 sentences, grouped into 17 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 22 of "Ask Mamma" contain?

Chapter 22 holds 85 sentences of "Ask Mamma", unabridged, divided into 17 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 22 of "Ask Mamma" by Robert Smith Surtees exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 85 sentences, grouped into 17 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 22 of "Ask Mamma"?

Work through the 17 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 17 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 22 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 22 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 "Ask Mamma"

Common questions about reading "Ask Mamma" by Robert Smith Surtees on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of "Ask Mamma"?

Yes. All 5809 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #44822 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #44822, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does "Ask Mamma" take to read?

About 484 minutes of reading across 1162 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in "Ask Mamma"

Words and structures a reader meets early in "Ask Mamma", each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Recommendation
A word that appears in the opening chapter of "Ask Mamma"; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lover
A word that appears in the opening chapter of "Ask Mamma"; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Light
A word that appears in the opening chapter of "Ask Mamma"; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Literature
A word that appears in the opening chapter of "Ask Mamma"; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.