Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Coelebs In Search of a Wife
Coelebs In Search of a Wife

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Coelebs In Search of a Wife is here in full — 111 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Coelebs In Search of a Wife
Context Illustration Reading 1/22 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.
Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.
This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.
Their religion, however, consisted almost exclusively in a disproportionate zeal for a very few doctrines.
And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.
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.

Coelebs In Search of a Wife

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Coelebs In Search of a Wife is here in full — 111 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/22 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.
Line 2
Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.
Line 3
This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.
Line 4
Their religion, however, consisted almost exclusively in a disproportionate zeal for a very few doctrines.
/ðer rɪˈlɪdʒən ˌhaʊˈevər kənˈsɪstəd ˈɔːlmoʊst ɪkˈskluːsɪvli ɪn ə ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːrʃənɪt ziːl fɔːr ə ˈveri fjuː ˈdɑːktrənz/
Line 5
And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.
/ənd ðoʊ ðeɪ wɜːr fɑːr frʌm ˈbiːɪŋ ˌɪˈmɔːrəl ɪn ðer oʊn ˈpræktəs jet ɪn ðer ˈdɪskɔːrs ðeɪ əˈfektɪd tuː ˈʌndərvæljuː mərˈæləti/

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.

affluence noun US /ˈæfluːəns/

abundant wealth

From this reading “Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.”

ascribe verb US /əˈskraɪb/

attribute or credit to

From this reading “Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.”

deficiencies noun US /dɪˈfɪʃənsiz/

plural of “deficiency” — the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable

From this reading “This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.”

disproportionate adjective US /ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːrʃənɪt/

out of proportion

From this reading “Their religion, however, consisted almost exclusively in a disproportionate zeal for a very few doctrines.”

immoral adjective US /ˌɪˈmɔːrəl/

deliberately violating accepted principles of right and wrong

From this reading “And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.”

self-sufficiency noun US /ˌselfsəˈfɪʃənsiː/

personal independence

From this reading “Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.”

undervalue verb US /ˈʌndərvæljuː/

assign too low a value to

From this reading “And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.”

undue adjective US /ənˈduː/

not yet payable

From this reading “Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.”

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.

supplied the deficiencies verb + article + noun counted as “supply … deficiency”

In this reading “This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.”

few days adjective + noun

In this reading “I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.”

consisted almost verb + particle counted as “consist almost”

In this reading “Their religion, however, consisted almost exclusively in a disproportionate zeal for a very few doctrines.”

All words in this reading · 86

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 I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

affectedadjectiveUS /əˈfektɪd/

acted upon; influenced

From this reading And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.

affluencenounUS /ˈæfluːəns/

abundant wealth

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

ascribeverbUS /əˈskraɪb/

attribute or credit to

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

circumstancesnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəmstænsəz/

your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

commercialadjectiveUS /kəˈmɜːrʃəl/

connected with or engaged in or sponsored by or used in commerce or commercial enterprises

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

consistedverbUS /kənˈsɪstəd/

past form of “consist” — originate

From this reading Their religion, however, consisted almost exclusively in a disproportionate zeal for a very few doctrines.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

deficienciesnounUS /dɪˈfɪʃənsiz/

plural of “deficiency” — the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

discoursenounUS /ˈdɪskɔːrs/

extended verbal expression in speech or writing

From this reading And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.

dispositionnounUS /ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən/

your usual mood

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

disproportionateadjectiveUS /ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːrʃənɪt/

out of proportion

From this reading Their religion, however, consisted almost exclusively in a disproportionate zeal for a very few doctrines.

doctrinesnounUS /ˈdɑːktrənz/

plural of “doctrine” — a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school

From this reading Their religion, however, consisted almost exclusively in a disproportionate zeal for a very few doctrines.

educationnounUS /ˌedʒəˈkeɪʃən/

the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

engagementnounUS /enˈɡeɪdʒmənt/

a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

esteemedadjectiveUS /ɪˈstiːmd/

having an illustrious reputation; respected

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

exclusivelyadverbUS /ɪkˈskluːsɪvli/

without any others being included or involved

From this reading Their religion, however, consisted almost exclusively in a disproportionate zeal for a very few doctrines.

expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Their religion, however, consisted almost exclusively in a disproportionate zeal for a very few doctrines.

fortunenounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃən/

an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

Hampstead

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

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading Their religion, however, consisted almost exclusively in a disproportionate zeal for a very few doctrines.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

immediatelyadverbUS /ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli/

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

immoraladjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmɔːrəl/

deliberately violating accepted principles of right and wrong

From this reading And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.

importancenounUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtəns/

the quality of being important and worthy of note

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

invitationnounUS /ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃən/

a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

moralitynounUS /mərˈæləti/

concern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong; right or good conduct

From this reading And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.

pardonableadjective

admitting of being pardoned

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

passverbUS /pæs/

go across or through

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

personsnounUS /ˈpɜːrsənz/

plural of “person” — a human being

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

piousadjectiveUS /ˈpaɪəs/

having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

practicenounUS /ˈpræktəs/

a customary way of operation or behavior

From this reading And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.

Ranby

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

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

religionnounUS /rɪˈlɪdʒən/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

respectnounUS /rɪˈspekt/

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

risenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪzən/

(of e.g. celestial bodies) above the horizon

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

self-sufficiencynounUS /ˌselfsəˈfɪʃənsiː/

personal independence

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

suppliedverbUS /səˈplaɪd/

inflected form of “supply” — give something useful or necessary to

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

turnverbUS /tɜːrn/

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

undervalueverbUS /ˈʌndərvæljuː/

assign too low a value to

From this reading And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.

undueadjectiveUS /ənˈduː/

not yet payable

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Their religion, however, consisted almost exclusively in a disproportionate zeal for a very few doctrines.

villanounUS /ˈvɪlə/

Mexican revolutionary leader (1877-1923)

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

wealthnounUS /welθ/

the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading I went almost immediately after, at the invitation of Mr. Ranby, to pass a few days at his villa at Hampstead.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Ranby were esteemed pious persons, but having risen to great affluence by a sudden turn of fortune in a commercial engagement, they had a little self-sufficiency, and not a little disposition to ascribe an undue importance to wealth.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading This I should have thought more pardonable under their circumstances, had I not expected that religion would in this respect have more than supplied the deficiencies of education.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading And though they were far from being immoral in their own practice, yet, in their discourse, they affected to undervalue morality.

zealnounUS /ziːl/

a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause)

From this reading Their religion, however, consisted almost exclusively in a disproportionate zeal for a very few doctrines.

Chapter 5 of Coelebs In Search of a Wife by Hannah More holds 111 sentences, grouped into 23 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 5 of Coelebs In Search of a Wife contain?

Chapter 5 holds 111 sentences of Coelebs In Search of a Wife, unabridged, divided into 23 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Coelebs In Search of a Wife by Hannah More exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 111 sentences, grouped into 23 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 5 of Coelebs In Search of a Wife?

Work through the 23 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 23 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Coelebs In Search of a Wife

Common questions about reading Coelebs In Search of a Wife by Hannah More on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Coelebs In Search of a Wife?

Yes. All 5419 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #31879 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Coelebs In Search of a Wife is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #31879, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Coelebs In Search of a Wife take to read?

About 451 minutes of reading across 1084 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Coelebs In Search of a Wife section by section

How to work through Coelebs In Search of a Wife section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Coelebs In Search of a Wife 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 Coelebs In Search of a Wife

Words and structures a reader meets early in Coelebs In Search of a Wife, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Search
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Coelebs In Search of a Wife; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hannah
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Coelebs In Search of a Wife; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Derby
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Coelebs In Search of a Wife; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Jackson
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Coelebs In Search of a Wife; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.