Chapter 2 of Chains is here in full — 421 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Chains is here in full — 421 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again. “Why, yes, of course I remember you, my child. But what is it that brings you now, dear? Your eye is cut, and your hand.” “Yes, mother, but please don’t ask—just now.
Chapter 2 of Chains is here in full — 421 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/84 · 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.
formed or made thin by hammering
From this reading “She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.”
third-person singular of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading “But what is it that brings you now, dear?”
plural of “ending” — the end of a word (a suffix or inflectional ending or final morpheme)
From this reading “She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.”
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading “She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.”
plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading “She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.”
unbiased impartial unconcern
From this reading “She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.”
continuing forever or indefinitely
From this reading “She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.”
(of the voice) quivering as from weakness or fear
From this reading “She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.”
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.
as might be expected
In this reading ““Why, yes, of course I remember you, my child.”
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.
anew
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “Yes, mother, but please don’t ask—just now.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
formed or made thin by hammering
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
third-person singular of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading But what is it that brings you now, dear?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But what is it that brings you now, dear?
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
a young person of either sex
From this reading “Why, yes, of course I remember you, my child.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading “Why, yes, of course I remember you, my child.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Your eye is cut, and your hand.”
dearly loved
From this reading But what is it that brings you now, dear?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Yes, mother, but please don’t ask—just now.
plural of “ending” — the end of a word (a suffix or inflectional ending or final morpheme)
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
divisible by two
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
the organ of sight
From this reading Your eye is cut, and your hand.”
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Your eye is cut, and your hand.”
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Why, yes, of course I remember you, my child.
unbiased impartial unconcern
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But what is it that brings you now, dear?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But what is it that brings you now, dear?
and nothing more
From this reading “Yes, mother, but please don’t ask—just now.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading “Yes, mother, but please don’t ask—just now.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Why, yes, of course I remember you, my child.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Why, yes, of course I remember you, my child.
continuing forever or indefinitely
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading “Yes, mother, but please don’t ask—just now.
To recall to mind.
From this reading “Why, yes, of course I remember you, my child.
cause to go somewhere
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
(of the voice) quivering as from weakness or fear
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But what is it that brings you now, dear?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading “Why, yes, of course I remember you, my child.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She was so beaten by life, the perpetual endings to her never more than tremulous hopes, that even now and here she expected little more than an indifference which would send her away again.
an affirmative
From this reading “Why, yes, of course I remember you, my child.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Why, yes, of course I remember you, my child.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Your eye is cut, and your hand.”
Chapter 2 of Chains by Theodore Dreiser holds 421 sentences, grouped into 85 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 421 sentences of Chains, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Chains by Theodore Dreiser exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 421 sentences, grouped into 85 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 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 85 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 Chains by Theodore Dreiser on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 7555 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #72326 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #72326, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1511 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Chains section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 18 chapters of Chains 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 Chains, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
