Chapter 2 of Behind a Mask is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Behind a Mask is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“No, I’ve been enjoying myself immensely. Jean is _so_ interesting, so kind and clever. She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.” “What did you talk about?” “Oh, all manner of things.
Chapter 2 of Behind a Mask is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 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.
showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
From this reading “Jean is _so_ interesting, so kind and clever.”
-ing form of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading ““No, I’ve been enjoying myself immensely.”
the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics)
From this reading “She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.””
to an exceedingly great extent or degree
From this reading ““No, I’ve been enjoying myself immensely.”
arousing or holding the attention
From this reading “Jean is _so_ interesting, so kind and clever.”
a coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric
From this reading “Jean is _so_ interesting, so kind and clever.”
lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity
From this reading “She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.””
the profession of a teacher
From this reading “She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.””
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.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “What did you talk about?”
later than; following
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
(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 “Oh, all manner of things.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Jean is _so_ interesting, so kind and clever.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “No, I’ve been enjoying myself immensely.
cause to be bored
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
From this reading Jean is _so_ interesting, so kind and clever.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “What did you talk about?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
-ing form of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading “No, I’ve been enjoying myself immensely.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics)
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “No, I’ve been enjoying myself immensely.
to an exceedingly great extent or degree
From this reading “No, I’ve been enjoying myself immensely.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
arousing or holding the attention
From this reading Jean is _so_ interesting, so kind and clever.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Jean is _so_ interesting, so kind and clever.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
a coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric
From this reading Jean is _so_ interesting, so kind and clever.
and nothing more
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading Jean is _so_ interesting, so kind and clever.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading “Oh, all manner of things.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading “No, I’ve been enjoying myself immensely.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
not any; not one
From this reading “No, I’ve been enjoying myself immensely.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading “Oh, all manner of things.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Jean is _so_ interesting, so kind and clever.
lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading “What did you talk about?”
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
the profession of a teacher
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading “Oh, all manner of things.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What did you talk about?”
in the company of; together with
From this reading She didn’t bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I never expected to, after Lucia’s dull way of teaching it.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “What did you talk about?”
Chapter 2 of Behind a Mask by Louisa May Alcott holds 406 sentences, grouped into 82 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.
Chapter 2 holds 406 sentences of Behind a Mask, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Behind a Mask by Louisa May Alcott exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 406 sentences, grouped into 82 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 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 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 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.
Common questions about reading Behind a Mask by Louisa May Alcott on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2408 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8677 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #8677, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 200 minutes of reading across 482 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Behind a Mask section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 6 chapters of Behind a Mask 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 Behind a Mask, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
