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Curious, if True Strange Tales
Curious, if True Strange Tales

Chapter VI · Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of Curious, if True Strange Tales is here in full — 426 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/85 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.
Her aunt was a woman of narrow, strong affections.
Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.
What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.
It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Curious, if True Strange Tales

Chapter VI · Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of Curious, if True Strange Tales is here in full — 426 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/85 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.
Line 2
Her aunt was a woman of narrow, strong affections.
/hɜːr ænt wɑːz ə ˈwʊmən ʌv ˈneroʊ strɔːŋ əˈfekʃənz/
Line 3
Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.
/hɜːr lʌv fɔːr hɜːr ˈhʌzbənd ɪf ˈevər ʃiː hæd ˈeni wɑːz bɜːrnt aʊt ənd ded lɔːŋ əˈɡoʊ/
Line 4
What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.
Line 5
It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

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.

affect verb US /əˈfekt/

have an effect upon

From this reading “It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.”

bled verb US /bled/

inflected form of “bleed” — lose blood from one's body

From this reading “What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.”

bodily adverb US /ˈbɑːdəli/

in bodily form

From this reading “What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.”

contemptuous adjective US /kənˈtemptʃuːəs/

expressing extreme contempt

From this reading “What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.”

continual adjective US /kənˈtɪnjuːəl/

recurring regularly or frequently in a prolonged and closely spaced series

From this reading “What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.”

repetition noun US /ˌrepəˈtɪʃən/

an event that repeats

From this reading “It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.”

restrain verb US /riˈstreɪn/

to close within bounds, or otherwise limit or deprive of free movement

From this reading “What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.”

sparing adjective US /ˈsperɪŋ/

avoiding waste

From this reading “What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.”

All words in this reading · 113

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 It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

addressedadjectiveUS /əˈdrest/

(of mail) marked with a destination

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

affectverbUS /əˈfekt/

have an effect upon

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

affectionsnounUS /əˈfekʃənz/

plural of “affection” — a positive feeling of liking

From this reading Her aunt was a woman of narrow, strong affections.

agoadverbUS /əˈɡoʊ/

in the past

From this reading Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

attendedadjectiveUS /əˈtendɪd/

playing or singing with instrumental or vocal accompaniment

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

auntnounUS /ænt/

the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle

From this reading Her aunt was a woman of narrow, strong affections.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

bledverbUS /bled/

inflected form of “bleed” — lose blood from one's body

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

bodilyadverbUS /ˈbɑːdəli/

in bodily form

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

burntadjectiveUS /bɜːrnt/

ruined by overcooking

From this reading Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

carenounUS /ker/

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

comfortnounUS /ˈkʌmfərt/

a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

constantadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnstənt/

unvarying in nature

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

constantlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnstəntli/

without variation or change, in every case

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

contemptuousadjectiveUS /kənˈtemptʃuːəs/

expressing extreme contempt

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

continualadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəl/

recurring regularly or frequently in a prolonged and closely spaced series

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

deadadjectiveUS /ded/

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.

deadenedadjective

devoid of physical sensation; numb

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

desirenounUS /dɪˈzaɪər/

the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

dutynounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

easeverbUS /iːz/

move gently or carefully

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

else

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

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

feelverbUS /fiːl/

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

flownounUS /floʊ/

the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

foodnounUS /fuːd/

any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

GracenounUS /ɡreɪs/

(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.

hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Her aunt was a woman of narrow, strong affections.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

hurtverbUS /hɜːrt/

be the source of pain

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.

illnessnounUS /ˈɪlnəs/

impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

indifferentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdɪfrənt/

marked by a lack of interest

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

Lois

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

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

Lois's

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

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

membernounUS /ˈmembər/

one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

ministernounUS /ˈmɪnəstər/

a person authorized to conduct religious worship

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

narrowverbUS /ˈneroʊ/

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading Her aunt was a woman of narrow, strong affections.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Her aunt was a woman of narrow, strong affections.

oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.

painsnounUS /peɪnz/

an effortful attempt to attain a goal

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

ratenounUS /reɪt/

a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

reliefnounUS /rɪˈliːf/

the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

repetitionnounUS /ˌrepəˈtɪʃən/

an event that repeats

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

reproofnoun

an act or expression of criticism and censure

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

restrainverbUS /riˈstreɪn/

to close within bounds, or otherwise limit or deprive of free movement

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

sarcasms

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

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

seldomadverbUS /ˈseldəm/

not often

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Her love for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long ago.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

sparingadjectiveUS /ˈsperɪŋ/

avoiding waste

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

speechesnounUS /ˈspiːtʃəz/

plural of “speech” — the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

spokenounUS /spoʊk/

support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

statenounUS /steɪt/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading Her aunt was a woman of narrow, strong affections.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

tonguenounUS /tʌŋ/

a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

troublenounUS /ˈtrʌbəl/

a source of difficulty

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

up-hill

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

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

warmthnounUS /wɔːrmθ/

the sensation caused by heat energy

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and comfort.

winverbUS /wɪn/

be the winner in a contest or competition; be victorious

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be, the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him indifferent; at any rate, so that he had his food and his state of bodily warmth attended to, he very seldom seemed to care much for anything else.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Her aunt was a woman of narrow, strong affections.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this family.

Chapter 6 of Curious, if True Strange Tales by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell holds 426 sentences, grouped into 86 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 6 of Curious, if True Strange Tales contain?

Chapter 6 holds 426 sentences of Curious, if True Strange Tales, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 6 of Curious, if True Strange Tales by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 426 sentences, grouped into 86 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 6 of Curious, if True Strange Tales?

Work through the 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 86 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 6 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 6 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 Curious, if True Strange Tales

Common questions about reading Curious, if True Strange Tales by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Curious, if True Strange Tales?

Yes. All 3783 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24879 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Curious, if True Strange Tales is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #24879, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Curious, if True Strange Tales take to read?

About 315 minutes of reading across 757 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Curious, if True Strange Tales section by section

How to work through Curious, if True Strange Tales section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 7 chapters of Curious, if True Strange Tales 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 Curious, if True Strange Tales

Words and structures a reader meets early in Curious, if True Strange Tales, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Dears
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Curious, if True Strange Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mother
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Curious, if True Strange Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Orphan
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Curious, if True Strange Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Child
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Curious, if True Strange Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.