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Facing Death
Facing Death

Chapter X

Chapter 10 of Facing Death is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HARD TIMES.
It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.
Starvation was doing its work, and told first upon the women and children.
Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.
No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Facing Death

Chapter X

Chapter 10 of Facing Death is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HARD TIMES.
/hɑːrd taɪmz/
Line 2
It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.
/ɪt wɑːz wen ðə pɪntʃ keɪm ðə səbˈskrɪpʃənz fel ɔːf ənd ðə ˈwiːkli ˈpeɪmənts baɪ ðə ˈjuːnjən ˈdwɪndəld tuː ə fjuː ˈʃɪlɪŋz fɔːr ðə səˈpɔːrt ʌv ə hoʊl ˈfæməli ðæt ðə rʌf ˈvɜːrtʃuːz ʌv ðə ˈpiːpəl ʌv ðə ˈmaɪnɪŋ ˈdɪstrɪkts keɪm ˈstrɔːŋli ˈɪntuː ˈprɑːmənəns/
Line 3
Starvation was doing its work, and told first upon the women and children.
/stɑːrˈveɪʃən wɑːz ˈduːɪŋ ɪts wɜːrk ənd toʊld fɜːrst əˈpɑːn ðə ˈwɪmən ənd ˈtʃɪldrən/
Line 4
Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.
/ˈlɪtəl ˈfeɪsəz əˈwaɪl sɪns soʊ ˈroʊzi ənd braɪt ɡruː θɪn ənd pɪntʃt ˈtʃʌbi ɑːrmz ʃræŋk ənˈtɪl ðə boʊn kʊd ˈɔːlmoʊst biː siːn θruː ðə skɪn ənd loʊ ˈfiːvər ə ʃʊr əˈkʌmpnɪmənt ʌv wɑːnt meɪd ɪts əˈpɪrəns/
Line 5
No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.
/noʊ mɔːr ˈtendər ənd dɪˈvoʊtɪd ˈnɜːrsəz kʊd biː faʊnd ðæn ðə rʌf ˈwɪmən huː hʌʃt ðer ˈvɔɪsəz ənd stoʊl wɪð ˈkwaɪət fiːt ərˈaʊnd ðə ˈlɪtəl bedz ˈletɪŋ fɔːl ˈmeni ə ˈsaɪlənt ter wen ðə ˈsʌfərər æskt fɔːr ˈlɪtəl θɪŋz fɔːr tiː ɔːr ˈleməˈneɪd wɪtʃ ðer wɜːr noʊ miːnz tuː ˈpɜːrtʃəs ɔːr wen ðə ˈdɑːktər ʃʊk hɪz hed ənd sed ðæt ɡʊd fuːd ənd nɑːt ˈmedəsən wɑːz ˈniːdəd/

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.

accompaniment noun US /əˈkʌmpnɪmənt/

an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another

From this reading “Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.”

chubby adjective US /ˈtʃʌbi/

sufficiently fat so as to have a pleasing fullness of figure

From this reading “Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.”

dwindled verb US /ˈdwɪndəld/

past form of “dwindle” — become smaller or lose substance

From this reading “It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.”

lemonade noun US /ˈleməˈneɪd/

sweetened beverage of diluted lemon juice

From this reading “No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.”

payments noun US /ˈpeɪmənts/

plural of “payment” — a sum of money paid or a claim discharged

From this reading “It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.”

prominence noun US /ˈprɑːmənəns/

the state of being prominent: widely known or eminent

From this reading “It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.”

subscriptions noun US /səbˈskrɪpʃənz/

plural of “subscription” — a payment for consecutive issues of a newspaper or magazine for a given period of time

From this reading “It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.”

sufferer noun US /ˈsʌfərər/

a person suffering from an illness

From this reading “No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.”

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.

into prominence preposition + noun

In this reading “It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.”

few shillings adjective + noun counted as “few shilling”

In this reading “It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.”

whole family adjective + noun

In this reading “It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.”

low fever adjective + noun

In this reading “Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.”

grew thin verb + adjective counted as “grow thin”

In this reading “Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.”

HARD TIMES adjective + noun

a time of difficulty

In this reading “HARD TIMES.”

fell off verb + particle

In this reading “It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.”

doctor shook noun + noun

In this reading “No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.”

All words in this reading · 115

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

accompanimentnounUS /əˈkʌmpnɪmənt/

an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

appearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

awhileadverbUS /əˈwaɪl/

for a short time

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

bedsnounUS /bedz/

plural of “bed” — a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

bonenounUS /boʊn/

rigid connective tissue that makes up the skeleton of vertebrates

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

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

From this reading Starvation was doing its work, and told first upon the women and children.

chubbyadjectiveUS /ˈtʃʌbi/

sufficiently fat so as to have a pleasing fullness of figure

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

devotedadjectiveUS /dɪˈvoʊtɪd/

zealous in devotion or affection

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

districtsnounUS /ˈdɪstrɪkts/

plural of “district” — a region marked off for administrative or other purposes

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

doctornounUS /ˈdɑːktər/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

doingverbUS /ˈduːɪŋ/

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading Starvation was doing its work, and told first upon the women and children.

dwindledverbUS /ˈdwɪndəld/

past form of “dwindle” — become smaller or lose substance

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

facesnounUS /ˈfeɪsəz/

plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

fallverbUS /fɔːl/

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

fellverbUS /fel/

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

fevernounUS /ˈfiːvər/

a rise in the temperature of the body; frequently a symptom of infection

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Starvation was doing its work, and told first upon the women and children.

foodnounUS /fuːd/

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

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

grewverbUS /ɡruː/

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

HARDadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/

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

From this reading HARD TIMES.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

hushedadjectiveUS /hʌʃt/

in a softened tone

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Starvation was doing its work, and told first upon the women and children.

lemonadenounUS /ˈleməˈneɪd/

sweetened beverage of diluted lemon juice

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

lettingnounUS /ˈletɪŋ/

property that is leased or rented out or let

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

LittleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

meansnounUS /miːnz/

thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

medicinenounUS /ˈmedəsən/

the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

miningnounUS /ˈmaɪnɪŋ/

the act of extracting ores or coal etc from the earth

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

neededadjectiveUS /ˈniːdəd/

necessary for relief or supply

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

nursesnounUS /ˈnɜːrsəz/

plural of “nurse” — one skilled in caring for young children or the sick (usually under the supervision of a physician)

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

paymentsnounUS /ˈpeɪmənts/

plural of “payment” — a sum of money paid or a claim discharged

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

pinchverbUS /pɪntʃ/

squeeze tightly between the fingers

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

pinchedadjectiveUS /pɪntʃt/

sounding as if the nose were pinched

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

prominencenounUS /ˈprɑːmənəns/

the state of being prominent: widely known or eminent

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

purchasenounUS /ˈpɜːrtʃəs/

the acquisition of something for payment

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

rosyadjectiveUS /ˈroʊzi/

reflecting optimism

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

roughadjectiveUS /rʌf/

having or caused by an irregular surface

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

shillingsnounUS /ˈʃɪlɪŋz/

plural of “shilling” — the basic unit of money in Uganda; equal to 100 cents

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

shooknounUS /ʃʊk/

a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

shrankverbUS /ʃræŋk/

inflected form of “shrink” — wither, as with a loss of moisture

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

silentadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪlənt/

marked by absence of sound

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

skinnounUS /skɪn/

a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

StarvationnounUS /stɑːrˈveɪʃən/

a state of extreme hunger resulting from lack of essential nutrients over a prolonged period

From this reading Starvation was doing its work, and told first upon the women and children.

stolenounUS /stoʊl/

a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

stronglyadverbUS /ˈstrɔːŋli/

with strength or in a strong manner

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

subscriptionsnounUS /səbˈskrɪpʃənz/

plural of “subscription” — a payment for consecutive issues of a newspaper or magazine for a given period of time

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

sufferernounUS /ˈsʌfərər/

a person suffering from an illness

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

supportnounUS /səˈpɔːrt/

the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

teanounUS /tiː/

a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

tearverbUS /ter/

separate or cause to separate abruptly

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

tenderadjectiveUS /ˈtendər/

given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

TIMESnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading HARD TIMES.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading Starvation was doing its work, and told first upon the women and children.

unionnounUS /ˈjuːnjən/

an organization of employees formed to bargain with the employer

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Starvation was doing its work, and told first upon the women and children.

virtuesnounUS /ˈvɜːrtʃuːz/

plural of “virtue” — the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

voicesnounUS /ˈvɔɪsəz/

plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading Little faces, awhile since so rosy and bright, grew thin and pinched, chubby arms shrank until the bone could almost be seen through the skin, and low fever, a sure accompaniment of want, made its appearance.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

weeklynounUS /ˈwiːkli/

a periodical that is published every week (or 52 issues per year)

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

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

From this reading It was when the pinch came, the subscriptions fell off, and the weekly payments by the union dwindled to a few shillings for the support of a whole family, that the rough virtues of the people of the mining districts came strongly into prominence.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading No more tender and devoted nurses could be found than the rough women, who hushed their voices, and stole with quiet feet around the little beds, letting fall many a silent tear when the sufferer asked for little things, for tea or lemonade, which there were no means to purchase, or when the doctor shook his head and said that good food and not medicine was needed.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Starvation was doing its work, and told first upon the women and children.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

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

From this reading Starvation was doing its work, and told first upon the women and children.

Chapter 10 of Facing Death by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty holds 102 sentences, grouped into 21 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 10 of Facing Death contain?

Chapter 10 holds 102 sentences of Facing Death, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 10 of Facing Death by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 102 sentences, grouped into 21 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 10 of Facing Death?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 10 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 10 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 Facing Death

Common questions about reading Facing Death by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Facing Death?

Yes. All 3465 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #31128 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Facing Death is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #31128, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Facing Death take to read?

About 288 minutes of reading across 693 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Facing Death section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 31 chapters of Facing Death 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 Facing Death

Words and structures a reader meets early in Facing Death, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Facing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Facing Death; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Death
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Facing Death; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Vaughan
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Facing Death; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mines
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Facing Death; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.