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Darkness and Daylight: A Novel
Darkness and Daylight: A Novel

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of Darkness and Daylight: A Novel is here in full — 128 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Darkness and Daylight: A Novel
Context Illustration Reading 1/25 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
NINA AND MIGGIE.
It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.
She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.
What could it be?
She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Darkness and Daylight: A Novel

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of Darkness and Daylight: A Novel is here in full — 128 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
NINA AND MIGGIE.
Line 2
It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.
Line 3
She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.
/ʃiː nuː ˈɑːrθər hæd nɑːt toʊld hɜːr ðə hoʊl ənd ðæt ðə pɑːrt oʊˈmɪtəd wɑːz ðə moʊst ˌɪmˈpɔːrtənt ʌv ɔːl/
Line 4
What could it be?
/wʌt kʊd ɪt biː/
Line 5
She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.
/ʃiː θɔːt ʌv ə ˈθaʊzənd ˈdɪfərənt θɪŋz bʌt dɪˈsmɪst ðem wʌn ˈæftər əˈnʌðər frʌm hɜːr maɪnd æz tuː prɪˈpɑːstərəs tuː biː ˈtʃerɪʃt fɔːr ə ˈmoʊmənt/

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.

Arthur noun US /ˈɑːrθər/

elected vice president and became 21st President of the United States when Garfield was assassinated (1830-1886)

From this reading “She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.”

cherished adjective US /ˈtʃerɪʃt/

characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for

From this reading “She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.”

describe verb US /dɪˈskraɪb/

give a description of

From this reading “It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.”

dismissed adjective US /dɪˈsmɪst/

having lost your job

From this reading “She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.”

important adjective US /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtənt/

of great significance or value

From this reading “She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.”

nina noun US /ˈniːnə/

the Babylonian goddess of the watery deep and daughter of Ea

From this reading “NINA AND MIGGIE.”

omitted verb US /oʊˈmɪtəd/

inflected form of “omit” — prevent from being included or considered or accepted

From this reading “She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.”

preposterous adjective US /prɪˈpɑːstərəs/

so unreasonable as to invite derision

From this reading “She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.”

All words in this reading · 52

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 She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading NINA AND MIGGIE.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

ArthurnounUS /ˈɑːrθər/

elected vice president and became 21st President of the United States when Garfield was assassinated (1830-1886)

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

cherishedadjectiveUS /ˈtʃerɪʃt/

characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading What could it be?

describeverbUS /dɪˈskraɪb/

give a description of

From this reading It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.

differentadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfərənt/

unlike in nature or quality or form or degree

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

dismissedadjectiveUS /dɪˈsmɪst/

having lost your job

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

Edith's

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

From this reading It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.

feelingsnounUS /ˈfiːlɪŋz/

emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)

From this reading It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.

importantadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtənt/

of great significance or value

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

MIGGIE

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

From this reading NINA AND MIGGIE.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

NINAnounUS /ˈniːnə/

the Babylonian goddess of the watery deep and daughter of Ea

From this reading NINA AND MIGGIE.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

omittedverbUS /oʊˈmɪtəd/

inflected form of “omit” — prevent from being included or considered or accepted

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

preposterousadjectiveUS /prɪˈpɑːstərəs/

so unreasonable as to invite derision

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

rodeverbUS /roʊd/

inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

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

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/

the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading She thought of a thousand different things, but dismissed them one after another from her mind as too preposterous to be cherished for a moment.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What could it be?

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading She knew Arthur had not told her the whole, and that the part omitted was the most important of all.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading It would be impossible to describe Edith's feelings as she rode toward home.

Chapter 16 of Darkness and Daylight: A Novel by Mary Jane Holmes holds 128 sentences, grouped into 26 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 16 of Darkness and Daylight: A Novel contain?

Chapter 16 holds 128 sentences of Darkness and Daylight: A Novel, unabridged, divided into 26 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of Darkness and Daylight: A Novel by Mary Jane Holmes exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 128 sentences, grouped into 26 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 16 of Darkness and Daylight: A Novel?

Work through the 26 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 26 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Darkness and Daylight: A Novel

Common questions about reading Darkness and Daylight: A Novel by Mary Jane Holmes on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Darkness and Daylight: A Novel?

Yes. All 4901 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4721 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Darkness and Daylight: A Novel is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4721, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Darkness and Daylight: A Novel take to read?

About 408 minutes of reading across 981 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Darkness and Daylight: A Novel section by section

How to work through Darkness and Daylight: A Novel section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Darkness and Daylight: A Novel

Words and structures a reader meets early in Darkness and Daylight: A Novel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Edith
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Darkness and Daylight: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hastings
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Darkness and Daylight: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Collingwood
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Darkness and Daylight: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Question
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Darkness and Daylight: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.