Chapter 32 of Australia Felix is here in full — 242 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXXII
Chapter 32 of Australia Felix is here in full — 242 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Hush, dolly! Mustn't cry, and make a noise. Uncle Richard's cross. Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister. The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
Chapter 32 of Australia Felix is here in full — 242 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/48 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
affectedly modest or shy especially in a playful or provocative way
From this reading “The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.”
drawn out or made longer spatially
From this reading “The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.”
possessive form of “richards” — English literary critic who collaborated with C. K. Ogden and contributed to the development of Basic English (1893-1979)
From this reading “Uncle Richard's cross.”
past form of “rock” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading “Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.”
in an impolite manner
From this reading “The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.”
a sister who has only one parent in common with you
From this reading “Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.”
plural of “summer” — the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading “The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.”
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading “Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Mustn't cry, and make a noise.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mustn't cry, and make a noise.
furnishing added support
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
travel across or pass over
From this reading Uncle Richard's cross.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading Mustn't cry, and make a noise.
affectedly modest or shy especially in a playful or provocative way
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
conveyance consisting of a wheeled support on which a camera can be mounted
From this reading Hush, dolly!
drawn out or made longer spatially
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
thick cushion used as a seat
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
become quiet or still; fall silent
From this reading Hush, dolly!
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
a female domestic
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
engage in
From this reading Mustn't cry, and make a noise.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mustn't cry, and make a noise.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading Mustn't cry, and make a noise.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
on the contrary
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
possessive form of “richards” — English literary critic who collaborated with C. K. Ogden and contributed to the development of Basic English (1893-1979)
From this reading Uncle Richard's cross.
past form of “rock” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
in an impolite manner
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
a sister who has only one parent in common with you
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
plural of “summer” — the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
very small
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading Uncle Richard's cross.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
which person or people
From this reading The present Trotty was a demure little maid of some seven summers, who gave the impression of having been rather rudely elongated.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Trotty sat on a hassock and rocked a china babe, with all the appurtenant mother-fuss she had picked up from the tending of her tiny stepsister.
Chapter 32 of Australia Felix by Henry Handel Richardson holds 242 sentences, grouped into 49 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.
Chapter 32 holds 242 sentences of Australia Felix, unabridged, divided into 49 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 32 of Australia Felix by Henry Handel Richardson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 242 sentences, grouped into 49 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.
Work through the 49 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 49 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 32 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.
Common questions about reading Australia Felix by Henry Handel Richardson on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 8422 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3832 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #3832, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1685 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Australia Felix section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Australia Felix to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Australia Felix, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
