Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
At the Back of the North Wind
At the Back of the North Wind

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of At the Back of the North Wind is here in full — 154 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for At the Back of the North Wind
Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.
My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.
I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.
Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.
Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

At the Back of the North Wind

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of At the Back of the North Wind is here in full — 154 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.
Line 2
My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.
Line 3
I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.
Line 4
Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.
Line 5
Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

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.

Mind noun US /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading “Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.”

All words in this reading · 106

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.

a

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

about

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

all

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

almost

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

From this reading I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.

always

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

am

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

From this reading I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.

and

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

at

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

away

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

back

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

been

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

blew

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

breakfast

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

but

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

can

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

chirping

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

could

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

day

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

From this reading I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.

deep

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

Diamond

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

dingy

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

distance

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

dying

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

endless

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

every

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

far-off

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

felt

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

From this reading I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.

from

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

had

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

have

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

he

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

heard

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

him

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

his

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

hopeful

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

From this reading I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.

how

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

From this reading I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.

I

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

From this reading I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.

impression

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

in

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

Indeed

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

is

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

it

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

know

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

last

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

loud

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

may

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

me

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

morning

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

mother

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

much

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

must

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

My

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

never

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

night

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

north

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

not

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

nothing

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

of

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

on

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

or

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

over

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

own

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

picking

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

quiet

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

From this reading I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.

read

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

refreshed

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

From this reading I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.

remembered

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

river

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

said

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

sea-shore

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

shallows

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

sleep

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

slept

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

so

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

From this reading I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.

some

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

something

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

Sometimes

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

song

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

sounds

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

sparrows

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

such

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

sure

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

From this reading I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.

swallows

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

tell

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

that

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

THE

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

their

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

there

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

this

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

though

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

thought

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

time

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

to

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

twittering

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

up

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

was

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

From this reading I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.

well

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

what

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

when

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

From this reading My own impression is that every time when Diamond slept well and remembered nothing about it in the morning, he had been all that night at the back of the north wind.

whether

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

wind

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

From this reading THE wind blew loud, but Diamond slept a deep sleep, and never heard it.

woke

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

From this reading I am almost sure that was how he woke so refreshed, and felt so quiet and hopeful all the day.

words

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

From this reading Indeed he said this much, though not to me--that always when he woke from such a sleep there was a something in his mind, he could not tell what--could not tell whether it was the last far-off sounds of the river dying away in the distance, or some of the words of the endless song his mother had read to him on the sea-shore.

yard

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

you

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

From this reading Sometimes he thought it must have been the twittering of the swallows--over the shallows, you, know; but it may have been the chirping of the dingy sparrows picking up their breakfast in the yard--how can I tell?

Chapter 16 of At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald holds 154 sentences, grouped into 31 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 16 of At the Back of the North Wind contain?

Chapter 16 holds 154 sentences of At the Back of the North Wind, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 154 sentences, grouped into 31 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 16 of At the Back of the North Wind?

Work through the 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 31 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 At the Back of the North Wind

Common questions about reading At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of At the Back of the North Wind?

Yes. All 6064 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #225 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of At the Back of the North Wind is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #225, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does At the Back of the North Wind take to read?

About 505 minutes of reading across 1213 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read At the Back of the North Wind section by section

How to work through At the Back of the North Wind section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 38 chapters of At the Back of the North Wind 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 At the Back of the North Wind

Words and structures a reader meets early in At the Back of the North Wind, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Asked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of At the Back of the North Wind; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
North
A word that appears in the opening chapter of At the Back of the North Wind; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Greek
A word that appears in the opening chapter of At the Back of the North Wind; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Writer
A word that appears in the opening chapter of At the Back of the North Wind; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.