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Doña Perfecta
Doña Perfecta

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of Doña Perfecta is here in full — 190 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
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DESPERTA FERRO About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:
There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.
Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”
It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”
The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Doña Perfecta

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of Doña Perfecta is here in full — 190 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
DESPERTA FERROAbout this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:
Line 2
There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.
Line 3
Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”
Line 4
It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”
Line 5
The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.

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.

brigade noun US /brəˈɡeɪd/

army unit smaller than a division

From this reading “Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.””

guerillas noun US /ɡərˈɪləz/

plural of “guerilla” — a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment

From this reading ““It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.””

informs verb US /ˌɪnˈfɔːrmz/

third-person singular of “inform” — impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to

From this reading “Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.””

insurrection noun US /ˌɪnsərˈekʃən/

organized opposition to authority; a conflict in which one faction tries to wrest control from another

From this reading ““There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.”

items noun US /ˈaɪtəmz/

plural of “item” — a distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a list

From this reading ““DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:”

judicial adjective US /dʒuːˈdɪʃəl/

decreed by or proceeding from a court of justice

From this reading ““The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.”

Madrid noun US /məˈdrɪd/

the capital and largest city situated centrally in Spain; home of an outstanding art museum

From this reading ““DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:”

ranging adjective US /ˈreɪndʒɪŋ/

wandering freely

From this reading ““The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.”

All words in this reading · 76

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 “The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.

AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

Aceros

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

From this reading “The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.

adjacentadjectiveUS /əˈdʒeɪsənt/

nearest in space or position; immediately adjoining without intervening space

From this reading “The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.

adventuresnounUS /ædˈventʃərz/

plural of “adventure” — a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading “There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.

appearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

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

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

Batalla

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

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.

brigadenounUS /brəˈɡeɪd/

army unit smaller than a division

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

confirmedadjectiveUS /kənˈfɜːrmd/

of persons; not subject to change

From this reading “The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.

consideredadjectiveUS /kənˈsɪdərd/

carefully weighed

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

correspondentnounUS /ˌkɔːrəˈspɑːndənt/

someone who communicates by means of letters

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

denounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

DESPERTA

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

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

disposedadjectiveUS /dɪˈspoʊzd/

having made preparations

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

districtnounUS /ˈdɪstrɪkt/

a region marked off for administrative or other purposes

From this reading “The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.

FERRO

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

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

followersnounUS /ˈfɑːloʊərz/

a group of followers or enthusiasts

From this reading “The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.

followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

furtheradverbUS /ˈfɜːrðər/

to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

guerillasnounUS /ɡərˈɪləz/

plural of “guerilla” — a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading “There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

informsverbUS /ˌɪnˈfɔːrmz/

third-person singular of “inform” — impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

insurrectionnounUS /ˌɪnsərˈekʃən/

organized opposition to authority; a conflict in which one faction tries to wrest control from another

From this reading “There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

itemsnounUS /ˈaɪtəmz/

plural of “item” — a distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a list

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

judicialadjectiveUS /dʒuːˈdɪʃəl/

decreed by or proceeding from a court of justice

From this reading “The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

localitynounUS /loʊˈkæləti/

a surrounding or nearby region

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

MadridnounUS /məˈdrɪd/

the capital and largest city situated centrally in Spain; home of an outstanding art museum

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

mountedadjectiveUS /ˈmaʊntəd/

assembled for use; especially by being attached to a support

From this reading “The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.

Nahara

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

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

neighborhoodnounUS /ˈneɪbərhʊd/

a surrounding or nearby region

From this reading “There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.

newsnounUS /nuːz/

information about recent and important events

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

newspapersnounUS /ˈnuːzpeɪpərz/

plural of “newspaper” — a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading “There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

numbernounUS /ˈnʌmbər/

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading “The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

Orbajosa

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

From this reading “There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.

OurdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

presencenounUS /ˈprezəns/

the state of being present; current existence

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

rangingadjectiveUS /ˈreɪndʒɪŋ/

wandering freely

From this reading “The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.

reportverbUS /riˈpɔːrt/

to give an account or representation of in words

From this reading “There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.

requiredadjectiveUS /riˈkwaɪərd/

necessary for relief or supply

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading “There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading “DESPERTA FERRO” About this time the following items of news appeared in the Madrid newspapers:

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

troopsnounUS /truːps/

soldiers collectively

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

truthnounUS /truːθ/

a fact that has been verified

From this reading “There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.

unnecessaryadjectiveUS /ənˈnesəseri/

not necessary

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Our correspondent in that place informs us that the country is so little disposed for adventures that the further presence of the Batalla brigade in that locality is considered unnecessary.”

Villajuan

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

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading “There is no truth whatever in the report that there has been an insurrection in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading “It is said that the Batalla brigade will leave Orbajosa, as troops are not required there, to go to Villajuan de Nahara, where guerillas have made their appearance.”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading “The news has been confirmed that the Aceros, with a number of mounted followers, are ranging the district of Villajuan, adjacent to the judicial district of Orbajosa.

Chapter 21 of Doña Perfecta by Benito Pérez Galdós holds 190 sentences, grouped into 38 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 21 of Doña Perfecta contain?

Chapter 21 holds 190 sentences of Doña Perfecta, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of Doña Perfecta by Benito Pérez Galdós exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 190 sentences, grouped into 38 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 21 of Doña Perfecta?

Work through the 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 38 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 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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

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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 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.