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Happy-Thought Hall
Happy-Thought Hall

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Happy-Thought Hall is here in full — 86 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Happy-Thought Hall
Context Illustration Reading 1/17 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.
We go down.
Hertfordshire.
I find on inquiry that there is no Guide to this county.
Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.
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.

Happy-Thought Hall

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Happy-Thought Hall is here in full — 86 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/17 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.
Line 2
We go down.
/wiː ɡoʊ daʊn/
Line 3
Hertfordshire.
Line 4
I find on inquiry that there is no Guide to this county.
/aɪ faɪnd ɑːn ˌɪnˈkwaɪriː ðæt ðer ɪz noʊ ɡaɪd tuː ðɪs ˈkaʊnti/
Line 5
Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.

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.

differences noun US /ˈdɪfərənsɪz/

plural of “difference” — the quality of being unlike or dissimilar

From this reading “NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.”

discussions noun US /dɪˈskʌʃənz/

plural of “discussion” — an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic

From this reading “NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.”

hermits noun US /ˈhɜːrməts/

plural of “hermit” — one retired from society for religious reasons

From this reading “NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.”

ignores verb US /ˌɪɡˈnɔːrz/

third-person singular of “ignore” — refuse to acknowledge

From this reading “Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.”

Murray noun US /ˈmɜːri/

British classical scholar (born in Australia) who advocated the League of Nations and the United Nations (1866-1957)

From this reading “Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.”

notions noun US /ˈnoʊʃənz/

plural of “notion” — a vague idea in which some confidence is placed

From this reading “NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.”

observations noun US /ˌɑːbzərˈveɪʃənz/

plural of “observation” — the act of making and recording a measurement

From this reading “NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.”

trout noun US /traʊt/

flesh of any of several primarily freshwater game and food fishes

From this reading “NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.”

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.

on the subject preposition + article + noun counted as “on … subject”

In this reading “Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.”

go down verb + adjective

move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way

In this reading “We go down.”

All words in this reading · 48

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.

ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

BlackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.

BLACKMEER

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

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

Bradshaw

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

From this reading Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.

CASTLEnounUS /ˈkæsəl/

a large and stately mansion

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

CHILVERN

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

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

countynounUS /ˈkaʊnti/

(United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government

From this reading I find on inquiry that there is no Guide to this county.

DIFFERENCESnounUS /ˈdɪfərənsɪz/

plural of “difference” — the quality of being unlike or dissimilar

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

DISCUSSIONSnounUS /dɪˈskʌʃənz/

plural of “discussion” — an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading We go down.

ELEMENTnounUS /ˈeləmənt/

an abstract part of something

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading I find on inquiry that there is no Guide to this county.

FISHINGnounUS /ˈfɪʃɪŋ/

the act of someone who fishes as a diversion

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

GAMESnounUS /ɡeɪmz/

plural of “game” — a contest with rules to determine a winner

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading We go down.

GUIDEnounUS /ɡaɪd/

someone employed to conduct others

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

HERMITSnounUS /ˈhɜːrməts/

plural of “hermit” — one retired from society for religious reasons

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

Hertfordshirenoun

a county in southern England

From this reading Hertfordshire.

HISdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

HOUSEnounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I find on inquiry that there is no Guide to this county.

ignoresverbUS /ˌɪɡˈnɔːrz/

third-person singular of “ignore” — refuse to acknowledge

From this reading Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.

inquirynounUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪriː/

a search for knowledge

From this reading I find on inquiry that there is no Guide to this county.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading I find on inquiry that there is no Guide to this county.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.

knowsnounUS /noʊz/

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.

LAKEnounUS /leɪk/

a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

MurraynounUS /ˈmɜːri/

British classical scholar (born in Australia) who advocated the League of Nations and the United Nations (1866-1957)

From this reading Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading I find on inquiry that there is no Guide to this county.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.

NOTIONSnounUS /ˈnoʊʃənz/

plural of “notion” — a vague idea in which some confidence is placed

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

OBSERVATIONSnounUS /ˌɑːbzərˈveɪʃənz/

plural of “observation” — the act of making and recording a measurement

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I find on inquiry that there is no Guide to this county.

SHROPSHIRE

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

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

silentadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪlənt/

marked by absence of sound

From this reading Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.

SOLITARYadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləteri/

characterized by or preferring solitude

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

subjectnounUS /səbˈdʒekt/

the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading Black ignores it, Murray knows nothing about it, and Bradshaw is silent on the subject.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I find on inquiry that there is no Guide to this county.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading I find on inquiry that there is no Guide to this county.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading I find on inquiry that there is no Guide to this county.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I find on inquiry that there is no Guide to this county.

TROUTnounUS /traʊt/

flesh of any of several primarily freshwater game and food fishes

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

VIEWSnounUS /vjuːz/

plural of “view” — a way of regarding situations or topics etc.

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

WANTEDadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːntɪd/

desired or wished for or sought

From this reading NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS-- OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE-- THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We go down.

Chapter 2 of Happy-Thought Hall by F. C. (Francis Cowley) Burnand holds 86 sentences, grouped into 18 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 2 of Happy-Thought Hall contain?

Chapter 2 holds 86 sentences of Happy-Thought Hall, unabridged, divided into 18 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Happy-Thought Hall by F. C. (Francis Cowley) Burnand exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 86 sentences, grouped into 18 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 2 of Happy-Thought Hall?

Work through the 18 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 18 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Happy-Thought Hall

Common questions about reading Happy-Thought Hall by F. C. (Francis Cowley) Burnand on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Happy-Thought Hall?

Yes. All 3094 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26281 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Happy-Thought Hall is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #26281, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Happy-Thought Hall take to read?

About 257 minutes of reading across 619 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Happy-Thought Hall section by section

How to work through Happy-Thought Hall section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 27 chapters of Happy-Thought Hall 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 Happy-Thought Hall

Words and structures a reader meets early in Happy-Thought Hall, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Happy-thought
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Happy-Thought Hall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Happy-Thought Hall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Happy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Happy-Thought Hall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thoughts
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Happy-Thought Hall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.