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Elsie and Her Loved Ones
Elsie and Her Loved Ones

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Elsie and Her Loved Ones is here in full — 78 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/15 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
By DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY.
Published, November, 1903.
IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.
“What a beautiful place this is!” exclaimed Zoe, breaking a pause in the conversation.
“Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Elsie and Her Loved Ones

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Elsie and Her Loved Ones is here in full — 78 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/15 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
By DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY.
Line 2
Published, November, 1903.
Line 3
IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.
Line 4
“What a beautiful place this is!” exclaimed Zoe, breaking a pause in the conversation.
Line 5
“Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”
/jes sed hɜːr ˈhʌzbənd bʌt aɪ æm ˈθɪŋkɪŋ ɪt ɪz əˈbaʊt taɪm wiː rɪˈtɜːrnd tuː ˈaʊər mɔːr ˈnɔːrðərn hoʊmz/

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.

cousins noun US /ˈkʌzənz/

plural of “cousin” — the child of your aunt or uncle

From this reading “IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.”

Grandma noun US /ˈɡrændmɑː/

the mother of your father or mother

From this reading “IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.”

homes noun US /hoʊmz/

plural of “home” — where you live at a particular time

From this reading ““Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.””

lawn noun US /lɔːn/

a field of cultivated and mowed grass

From this reading “IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.”

mead noun US /miːd/

United States anthropologist noted for her claims about adolescence and sexual behavior in Polynesian cultures (1901-1978)

From this reading “By DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY.”

November noun US /noʊˈvembər/

the month following October and preceding December

From this reading “Published, November, 1903.”

orange noun US /ˈɔːrəndʒ/

round yellow to orange fruit of any of several citrus trees

From this reading “IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.”

relatives noun US /ˈrelətɪvz/

plural of “relative” — a person related by blood or marriage

From this reading “IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

distant relatives adjective + noun counted as “distant relative”

In this reading “IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.”

orange trees noun + noun counted as “orange tree”

any citrus tree bearing oranges

In this reading “IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.”

little distance adjective + noun

In this reading “IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.”

young friends adjective + noun counted as “young friend”

In this reading “IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.”

All words in this reading · 85

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.

1903

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

From this reading Published, November, 1903.

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 a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading “Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading By DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY.

Annis

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

breakingnounUS /ˈbreɪkɪŋ/

the act of breaking something

From this reading “What a beautiful place this is!” exclaimed Zoe, breaking a pause in the conversation.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading By DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

COMPANYnounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading By DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY.

conversationnounUS /ˌkɑːnvərˈseɪʃən/

the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.

From this reading “What a beautiful place this is!” exclaimed Zoe, breaking a pause in the conversation.

cousinsnounUS /ˈkʌzənz/

plural of “cousin” — the child of your aunt or uncle

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

distantadjectiveUS /ˈdɪstənt/

separated in space or coming from or going to a distance

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

DODD

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

From this reading By DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY.

Elsie

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

exclaimedverbUS /ɪkˈskleɪmd/

past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

From this reading “What a beautiful place this is!” exclaimed Zoe, breaking a pause in the conversation.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

flower-bespangled

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

friendsnounUS /frendz/

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

gatheredadjectiveUS /ˈɡæðərd/

brought together in one place

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

GrandmanounUS /ˈɡrændmɑː/

the mother of your father or mother

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

homesnounUS /hoʊmz/

plural of “home” — where you live at a particular time

From this reading “Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading “Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “What a beautiful place this is!” exclaimed Zoe, breaking a pause in the conversation.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “What a beautiful place this is!” exclaimed Zoe, breaking a pause in the conversation.

ITpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

lawnnounUS /lɔːn/

a field of cultivated and mowed grass

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

Lilburn

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

lovedadjectiveUS /lʌvd/

held dear

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

lovelyadjectiveUS /ˈlʌvli/

appealing to the emotions as well as the eye

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

MEADnounUS /miːd/

United States anthropologist noted for her claims about adolescence and sexual behavior in Polynesian cultures (1901-1978)

From this reading By DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY.

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 a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

northernadjectiveUS /ˈnɔːrðərn/

in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading “Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

NovembernounUS /noʊˈvembər/

the month following October and preceding December

From this reading Published, November, 1903.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

orangenounUS /ˈɔːrəndʒ/

round yellow to orange fruit of any of several citrus trees

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading “Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

pausenounUS /pɔːz/

a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something

From this reading “What a beautiful place this is!” exclaimed Zoe, breaking a pause in the conversation.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading “What a beautiful place this is!” exclaimed Zoe, breaking a pause in the conversation.

PublishedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌblɪʃt/

prepared and printed for distribution and sale

From this reading Published, November, 1903.

relativesnounUS /ˈrelətɪvz/

plural of “relative” — a person related by blood or marriage

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading “Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

Ronald

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

seatedadjectiveUS /ˈsiːtɪd/

(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

thinkingnounUS /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/

the process of using your mind to consider something carefully

From this reading “Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading “What a beautiful place this is!” exclaimed Zoe, breaking a pause in the conversation.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading “Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

Travilla

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

treesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

Viamede

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

wanderingadjectiveUS /ˈwɑːndərɪŋ/

migratory

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading “Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “What a beautiful place this is!” exclaimed Zoe, breaking a pause in the conversation.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

wifenounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

YesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading “Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading IT was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

Zoe

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

From this reading “What a beautiful place this is!” exclaimed Zoe, breaking a pause in the conversation.

Chapter 1 of Elsie and Her Loved Ones by Martha Finley holds 78 sentences, grouped into 16 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 1 of Elsie and Her Loved Ones contain?

Chapter 1 holds 78 sentences of Elsie and Her Loved Ones, unabridged, divided into 16 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Elsie and Her Loved Ones by Martha Finley exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 78 sentences, grouped into 16 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 1 of Elsie and Her Loved Ones?

Work through the 16 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 16 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Elsie and Her Loved Ones

Common questions about reading Elsie and Her Loved Ones by Martha Finley on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Elsie and Her Loved Ones?

Yes. All 2441 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #48357 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Elsie and Her Loved Ones is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #48357, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Elsie and Her Loved Ones take to read?

About 203 minutes of reading across 489 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Elsie and Her Loved Ones section by section

How to work through Elsie and Her Loved Ones section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 22 chapters of Elsie and Her Loved Ones 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 Elsie and Her Loved Ones

Words and structures a reader meets early in Elsie and Her Loved Ones, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Company
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elsie and Her Loved Ones; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Published
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elsie and Her Loved Ones; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
November
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elsie and Her Loved Ones; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lovely
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elsie and Her Loved Ones; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.