Chapter 17 of Fruitfulness is here in full — 414 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVII
Chapter 17 of Fruitfulness is here in full — 414 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"What is the matter, my girl?" she asked. "Oh! madame, my brother has fallen yonder and broken his leg." "What, fallen? What has he fallen from?" "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
Chapter 17 of Fruitfulness is here in full — 414 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down
From this reading “"Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."”
a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle
From this reading “"Oh! madame, my brother has fallen yonder and broken his leg."”
flowing profusely
From this reading “"Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."”
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading “"Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."”
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading “"Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."”
get rid of
From this reading “"Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."”
an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)
From this reading “"Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."”
distant but within sight (“yon” is dialectal)
From this reading “"Oh! madame, my brother has fallen yonder and broken his leg."”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Oh! madame, my brother has fallen yonder and broken his leg."
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "What is the matter, my girl?" she asked.
for the reason that
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
lacking funds
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading "Oh! madame, my brother has fallen yonder and broken his leg."
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading "Oh! madame, my brother has fallen yonder and broken his leg."
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading "Oh! madame, my brother has fallen yonder and broken his leg."
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading What has he fallen from?"
a young female
From this reading "What is the matter, my girl?" she asked.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Oh! madame, my brother has fallen yonder and broken his leg."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What has he fallen from?"
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Oh! madame, my brother has fallen yonder and broken his leg."
where you live at a particular time
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "What is the matter, my girl?" she asked.
steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle
From this reading "Oh! madame, my brother has fallen yonder and broken his leg."
title used for a married Frenchwoman
From this reading "Oh! madame, my brother has fallen yonder and broken his leg."
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading "What is the matter, my girl?" she asked.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "What is the matter, my girl?" she asked.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh! madame, my brother has fallen yonder and broken his leg."
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
flowing profusely
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "What is the matter, my girl?" she asked.
get rid of
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "What is the matter, my girl?" she asked.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
make an effort or attempt
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What is the matter, my girl?" she asked.
in or at the place that
From this reading "Oh! madame, there's a shed yonder where we sleep, because we haven't any home, and he was using an old ladder to try to prevent the rain from pouring in on us, and he fell and broke his leg."
distant but within sight (“yon” is dialectal)
From this reading "Oh! madame, my brother has fallen yonder and broken his leg."
Chapter 17 of Fruitfulness by Émile Zola holds 414 sentences, grouped into 83 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.
Chapter 17 holds 414 sentences of Fruitfulness, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 17 of Fruitfulness by Émile Zola exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 414 sentences, grouped into 83 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.
Work through the 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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.
Common questions about reading Fruitfulness by Émile Zola on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 8107 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #10330 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #10330, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1622 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Fruitfulness section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 20 chapters of Fruitfulness to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Fruitfulness, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
