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Fun for the Household: A Book of Games
Fun for the Household: A Book of Games

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games is here in full — 432 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Fun for the Household: A Book of Games
Context Illustration Reading 1/86 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?
“THANK YOU!”
“I sent her a basket of fruit for Christmas.
The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”
“Perhaps she never received it,” was the reply.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Fun for the Household: A Book of Games

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games is here in full — 432 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/86 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?
Line 2
“THANK YOU!”
/θæŋk juː/
Line 3
“I sent her a basket of fruit for Christmas.
/aɪ sent hɜːr ə ˈbæskət ʌv fruːt fɔːr ˈkrɪsməs/
Line 4
The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”
/ðə ˈbæskət wɑːz ʌv ðə ˈfaɪnəst tʃaɪˈniːz strɔː ənd ˈdekəreɪtɪd wɪð ˈhænsəm peɪl ɡriːn ˈsætən ˈrɪbən ənd ðə fruːt ˈbɑːrtlɪt perz ˈmændərənz ənd waɪt ɡreɪps bʌt ʃiː hæz nɑːt ækˈnɑːlɪdʒd ɪt baɪ ˈiːðər ˈvɜːrbəl ɔːr ˈrɪtən θæŋks/
Line 5
“Perhaps she never received it,” was the reply.
/pərˈhæps ʃiː ˈnevər rəˈsiːvd ɪt wɑːz ðə rɪˈplaɪ/

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.

Bartlett noun US /ˈbɑːrtlɪt/

United States explorer who accompanied Peary's expedition to the North Pole and who led many other Arctic trips (1875-1946)

From this reading “The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.””

Dryden noun US /ˈdraɪdən/

the outstanding poet and dramatist of the Restoration (1631-1700)

From this reading “Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?”

grapes noun US /ɡreɪps/

plural of “grape” — any of various juicy fruit of the genus Vitis with green or purple skins; grow in clusters

From this reading “The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.””

mandarins noun US /ˈmændərənz/

plural of “mandarin” — shrub or small tree having flattened globose fruit with very sweet aromatic pulp and thin yellow-orange to flame-orange rind that is loose and easily removed; native to southeastern Asia

From this reading “The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.””

pears noun US /perz/

plural of “pear” — sweet juicy gritty-textured fruit available in many varieties

From this reading “The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.””

sonnets noun US /ˈsɑːnɪts/

plural of “sonnet” — a verse form consisting of 14 lines with a fixed rhyme scheme

From this reading “Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?”

statesman noun US /ˈsteɪtsmən/

a man who is a respected leader in national or international affairs

From this reading “Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?”

verbal adjective US /ˈvɜːrbəl/

communicated in the form of words

From this reading “The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.””

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.

satin ribbon noun + noun

In this reading “The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.””

thirty-two years adjective + noun

In this reading “Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?”

green satin noun + noun

In this reading “The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.””

pale green adjective + noun

In this reading “The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.””

prominent place adjective + noun

In this reading “Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?”

All words in this reading · 87

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 Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

acknowledgedadjectiveUS /ækˈnɑːlɪdʒd/

recognized or made known or admitted

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

authornounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

BartlettnounUS /ˈbɑːrtlɪt/

United States explorer who accompanied Peary's expedition to the North Pole and who led many other Arctic trips (1875-1946)

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

basketnounUS /ˈbæskət/

a container that is usually woven and has handles

From this reading “I sent her a basket of fruit for Christmas.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

ChinesenounUS /tʃaɪˈniːz/

any of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in China; regarded as dialects of a single language (even though they are mutually unintelligible) because they share an ideographic writing system

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

ChristmasnounUS /ˈkrɪsməs/

period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6

From this reading “I sent her a basket of fruit for Christmas.

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

conspicuousadjectiveUS /kənˈspɪkjuːəs/

obvious to the eye or mind

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

courtnounUS /kɔːrt/

an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

decoratedadjectiveUS /ˈdekəreɪtɪd/

provided with something intended to increase its beauty or distinction

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

diedverbUS /daɪd/

past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

DrydennounUS /ˈdraɪdən/

the outstanding poet and dramatist of the Restoration (1631-1700)

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

ElizabethnounUS /ɪˈlɪzəbəθ/

daughter of George VI who became the Queen of England and Northern Ireland in 1952 on the death of her father (1926-)

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

finestadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəst/

superlative of “fine” — being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “I sent her a basket of fruit for Christmas.

fruitnounUS /fruːt/

the ripened reproductive body of a seed plant

From this reading “I sent her a basket of fruit for Christmas.

grapesnounUS /ɡreɪps/

plural of “grape” — any of various juicy fruit of the genus Vitis with green or purple skins; grow in clusters

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

GraynounUS /ɡreɪ/

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

greennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

handsomeadjectiveUS /ˈhænsəm/

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

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading “I sent her a basket of fruit for Christmas.

heronounUS /ˈhɪroʊ/

a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “I sent her a basket of fruit for Christmas.

importantadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtənt/

of great significance or value

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

leadingadjectiveUS /ˈliːdɪŋ/

indicating the most important performer or role

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

mandarinsnounUS /ˈmændərənz/

plural of “mandarin” — shrub or small tree having flattened globose fruit with very sweet aromatic pulp and thin yellow-orange to flame-orange rind that is loose and easily removed; native to southeastern Asia

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading “Perhaps she never received it,” was the reply.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

OrconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

paleadjectiveUS /peɪl/

very light colored; highly diluted with white

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

pearsnounUS /perz/

plural of “pear” — sweet juicy gritty-textured fruit available in many varieties

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

PerhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading “Perhaps she never received it,” was the reply.

PhilipnounUS /ˈfɪləp/

Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

prominentadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːmənənt/

having a quality that thrusts itself into attention

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

promiseverbUS /ˈprɑːməs/

make a promise or commitment

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

readernounUS /ˈriːdər/

a person who enjoys reading

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/

conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers

From this reading “Perhaps she never received it,” was the reply.

replynounUS /rɪˈplaɪ/

a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation

From this reading “Perhaps she never received it,” was the reply.

ribbonnounUS /ˈrɪbən/

any long object resembling a thin line

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

romanticadjectiveUS /roʊˈmæntɪk/

belonging to or characteristic of Romanticism or the Romantic Movement in the arts

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

satinnounUS /ˈsætən/

a smooth fabric of silk or rayon; has a glossy face and a dull back

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading “I sent her a basket of fruit for Christmas.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

SidneynounUS /ˈsɪdni/

English poet (1554-1586)

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

SirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

soldiernounUS /ˈsoʊldʒər/

an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

sonnetsnounUS /ˈsɑːnɪts/

plural of “sonnet” — a verse form consisting of 14 lines with a fixed rhyme scheme

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

statesmannounUS /ˈsteɪtsmən/

a man who is a respected leader in national or international affairs

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

strawnounUS /strɔː/

plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

studentnounUS /ˈstuːdənt/

a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

THANKverbUS /θæŋk/

express gratitude or show appreciation to

From this reading “THANK YOU!”

thanksnounUS /θæŋks/

an acknowledgment of appreciation

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

thirty-twoadjective

being two more than thirty

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

ThomasnounUS /ˈtɑːməs/

United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

verbaladjectiveUS /ˈvɜːrbəl/

communicated in the form of words

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

writtenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtən/

set down in writing in any of various ways

From this reading The basket was of the finest Chinese straw, and decorated with handsome pale green satin ribbon; and the fruit, Bartlett pears, mandarins, and white grapes; but she has not acknowledged it by either verbal or written thanks.”

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading Or does my reader know that Thomas Gray was a close student of Dryden, or that the author of the first important body of English sonnets was the romantic hero, Sir Philip Sidney, and that he died when but thirty-two years of age, having been conspicuous at the court of Elizabeth, was a soldier of great promise, a leading statesman, and has a prominent place in history?

YOUpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “THANK YOU!”

Chapter 8 of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games by Emma J. Gray holds 432 sentences, grouped into 87 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 8 of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games contain?

Chapter 8 holds 432 sentences of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games, unabridged, divided into 87 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games by Emma J. Gray exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 432 sentences, grouped into 87 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 8 of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games?

Work through the 87 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 87 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Fun for the Household: A Book of Games

Common questions about reading Fun for the Household: A Book of Games by Emma J. Gray on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games?

Yes. All 3865 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #51540 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #51540, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Fun for the Household: A Book of Games take to read?

About 322 minutes of reading across 773 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Fun for the Household: A Book of Games section by section

How to work through Fun for the Household: A Book of Games section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 9 chapters of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games 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 Fun for the Household: A Book of Games

Words and structures a reader meets early in Fun for the Household: A Book of Games, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Household
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Games
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Children
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Passed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fun for the Household: A Book of Games; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.