Chapter 9 of Hildegarde's Neighbors is here in full — 154 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IX
Chapter 9 of Hildegarde's Neighbors is here in full — 154 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A NEW LIFE. "Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise." "What do you mean, dear?" inquired Bell, looking up from her dishpan. "Why, I have had so many lives. This is the fifth, at the least computation.
Chapter 9 of Hildegarde's Neighbors is here in full — 154 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/30 · 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.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading “"Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."”
feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading “"Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."”
the procedure of calculating; determining something by mathematical or logical methods
From this reading “This is the fifth, at the least computation.”
A means of altering one's appearance to conceal one's identity.
From this reading “"Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."”
a quantity of liquor equal to one fifth of a United States gallon
From this reading “This is the fifth, at the least computation.”
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading “"What do you mean, dear?" inquired Bell, looking up from her dishpan.”
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading “This is the fifth, at the least computation.”
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading “"Why, I have had so many lives.”
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 A NEW LIFE.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading This is the fifth, at the least computation.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading "Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."
feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading "Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."
the procedure of calculating; determining something by mathematical or logical methods
From this reading This is the fifth, at the least computation.
dearly loved
From this reading "What do you mean, dear?" inquired Bell, looking up from her dishpan.
A means of altering one's appearance to conceal one's identity.
From this reading "Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."
large pan for washing dishes
From this reading "What do you mean, dear?" inquired Bell, looking up from her dishpan.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "What do you mean, dear?" inquired Bell, looking up from her dishpan.
a quantity of liquor equal to one fifth of a United States gallon
From this reading This is the fifth, at the least computation.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "What do you mean, dear?" inquired Bell, looking up from her dishpan.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "Why, I have had so many lives.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "Why, I have had so many lives.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "What do you mean, dear?" inquired Bell, looking up from her dishpan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading "What do you mean, dear?" inquired Bell, looking up from her dishpan.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This is the fifth, at the least computation.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading This is the fifth, at the least computation.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading A NEW LIFE.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading "Why, I have had so many lives.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading "What do you mean, dear?" inquired Bell, looking up from her dishpan.
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 "Why, I have had so many lives.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading "What do you mean, dear?" inquired Bell, looking up from her dishpan.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading A NEW LIFE.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading "Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Why, I have had so many lives.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This is the fifth, at the least computation.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "Bell," said Hildegarde, "I really think I must be a cat in disguise."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This is the fifth, at the least computation.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "What do you mean, dear?" inquired Bell, looking up from her dishpan.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What do you mean, dear?" inquired Bell, looking up from her dishpan.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why, I have had so many lives.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "What do you mean, dear?" inquired Bell, looking up from her dishpan.
Chapter 9 of Hildegarde's Neighbors by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards holds 154 sentences, grouped into 31 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 9 holds 154 sentences of Hildegarde's Neighbors, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 9 of Hildegarde's Neighbors by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 154 sentences, grouped into 31 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 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 31 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 9 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 Hildegarde's Neighbors by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2504 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5259 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #5259, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 208 minutes of reading across 501 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Hildegarde's Neighbors section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 15 chapters of Hildegarde's Neighbors 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 Hildegarde's Neighbors, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
