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Doña Perfecta
Doña Perfecta

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of Doña Perfecta is here in full — 63 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Doña Perfecta
Context Illustration Reading 1/12 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.
Come in, Señor Ramos,” said Pepe Rey.
No, no!” objected Doña Perfecta.
What he has to say to you is an absurdity.”
Let him say it.”
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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.

Doña Perfecta

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of Doña Perfecta is here in full — 63 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/12 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.
Line 2
Come in, Señor Ramos,” said Pepe Rey.
Line 3
No, no!” objected Doña Perfecta.
Line 4
What he has to say to you is an absurdity.”
/wʌt hiː hæz tuː seɪ tuː juː ɪz æn əbˈsɜːrdəti/
Line 5
Let him say it.”
/let hɪm seɪ ɪt/

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.

absurdity noun US /əbˈsɜːrdəti/

a message whose content is at variance with reason

From this reading ““What he has to say to you is an absurdity.””

Centaur noun US /ˈsentɔːr/

(classical mythology) a mythical being that is half man and half horse

From this reading “DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.”

civilly adverb US /ˈsɪvɪli/

in a civil manner

From this reading “DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.”

discord noun US /ˈdɪskɔːrd/

lack of agreement or harmony

From this reading “DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.”

disfigured adjective US /dɪˈsfɪɡjərd/

having the appearance spoiled

From this reading “DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.”

herculean adjective US /hərˈkjuːliən/

displaying superhuman strength or power

From this reading “DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.”

Perfecta noun US /pərˈfektə/

a bet that you can pick the first and second finishers in the right order

From this reading ““No, no!” objected Doña Perfecta.”

treading verb US /ˈtredɪŋ/

-ing form of “tread” — put down or press the foot, place the foot

From this reading “DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.”

All words in this reading · 69

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 DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

absurditynounUS /əbˈsɜːrdəti/

a message whose content is at variance with reason

From this reading “What he has to say to you is an absurdity.”

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading “What he has to say to you is an absurdity.”

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

anxietynounUS /æŋˈzaɪəti/

(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

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

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

CentaurnounUS /ˈsentɔːr/

(classical mythology) a mythical being that is half man and half horse

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

civillyadverbUS /ˈsɪvɪli/

in a civil manner

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

ComeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading “Come in, Señor Ramos,” said Pepe Rey.

companynounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

CONTINUESverbUS /kənˈtɪnjuːz/

third-person singular of “continue” — continue a certain state, condition, or activity

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

correctverbUS /kərˈekt/

make right or correct

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

DECLAREDadjectiveUS /dɪˈklerd/

made known or openly avowed

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

DISCORDnounUS /ˈdɪskɔːrd/

lack of agreement or harmony

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

disfiguredadjectiveUS /dɪˈsfɪɡjərd/

having the appearance spoiled

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

Doña

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

From this reading “No, no!” objected Doña Perfecta.

embarrassedadjectiveUS /ɪmˈberəst/

feeling or caused to feel ill at ease or self-conscious or ashamed

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

figurenounUS /ˈfɪɡjər/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

frowningadjectiveUS /ˈfraʊnɪŋ/

showing displeasure or anger

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

GROWverbUS /ɡroʊ/

pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

handsomeadjectiveUS /ˈhænsəm/

pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading “What he has to say to you is an absurdity.”

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

herculeanadjectiveUS /hərˈkjuːliən/

displaying superhuman strength or power

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading “Let him say it.”

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

holdingnounUS /ˈhoʊldɪŋ/

the act of retaining something

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

imposingadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpoʊzɪŋ/

impressive in appearance

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

ISauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “Let him say it.”

Letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading “Let him say it.”

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading “No, no!” objected Doña Perfecta.

objectedverbUS /əbˈdʒektəd/

past form of “object” — express or raise an objection or protest or criticism or express dissent

From this reading “No, no!” objected Doña Perfecta.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

Pepe

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

From this reading “Come in, Señor Ramos,” said Pepe Rey.

PerfectanounUS /pərˈfektə/

a bet that you can pick the first and second finishers in the right order

From this reading “No, no!” objected Doña Perfecta.

politelyadverbUS /pəˈlaɪtli/

in a polite manner

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

posturenounUS /ˈpɑːstʃər/

the arrangement of the body and its limbs

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

Ramos

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

From this reading “Come in, Señor Ramos,” said Pepe Rey.

Rey

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

From this reading “Come in, Señor Ramos,” said Pepe Rey.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “Come in, Señor Ramos,” said Pepe Rey.

saluteverbUS /səˈluːt/

propose a toast to

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

savagelyadverbUS /ˈsævɪdʒli/

in a vicious manner

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading “What he has to say to you is an absurdity.”

serious-looking

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

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

Señor

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

From this reading “Come in, Señor Ramos,” said Pepe Rey.

smilingnounUS /ˈsmaɪlɪŋ/

a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

softlyadverbUS /ˈsɔːftli/

with low volume

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

TOparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

treadingverbUS /ˈtredɪŋ/

-ing form of “tread” — put down or press the foot, place the foot

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

UNTILprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

violencenounUS /ˈvaɪələns/

an act of aggression (as one against a person who resists)

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

WARnounUS /wɔːr/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “What he has to say to you is an absurdity.”

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading DISCORD CONTINUES TO GROW UNTIL WAR IS DECLARED Every one looked toward the door, at which appeared the imposing figure of the Centaur, serious-looking and frowning; embarrassed by his anxiety to salute the company politely; savagely handsome, but disfigured by the violence which he did himself in smiling civilly and treading softly and holding his herculean arms in a correct posture.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “What he has to say to you is an absurdity.”

Chapter 15 of Doña Perfecta by Benito Pérez Galdós holds 63 sentences, grouped into 13 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 15 of Doña Perfecta contain?

Chapter 15 holds 63 sentences of Doña Perfecta, unabridged, divided into 13 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of Doña Perfecta by Benito Pérez Galdós exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 63 sentences, grouped into 13 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 15 of Doña Perfecta?

Work through the 13 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 13 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 Doña Perfecta

Common questions about reading Doña Perfecta by Benito Pérez Galdós on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Doña Perfecta?

Yes. All 4292 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2462 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Doña Perfecta is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2462, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Doña Perfecta take to read?

About 357 minutes of reading across 859 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Doña Perfecta section by section

How to work through Doña Perfecta section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 32 chapters of Doña Perfecta 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 Doña Perfecta

Words and structures a reader meets early in Doña Perfecta, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Villahorrenda
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Doña Perfecta; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Minutes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Doña Perfecta; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Train
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Doña Perfecta; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Unnecessary
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Doña Perfecta; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.