Chapter 8 of Imaginary Interviews is here in full — 399 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of Imaginary Interviews is here in full — 399 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present." "Yes, my dear," the old gentleman patiently assented, "I know you do. You are very thoughtful." "Not at all. If there is anything I hate, it is being thoughtful.
Chapter 8 of Imaginary Interviews is here in full — 399 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/79 · 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.
any thing at all
From this reading “If there is anything I hate, it is being thoughtful.”
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading “"Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."”
a man of refinement
From this reading “"Yes, my dear," the old gentleman patiently assented, "I know you do.”
the father of your father or mother
From this reading “"Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."”
the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action
From this reading “If there is anything I hate, it is being thoughtful.”
with patience; in a patient manner
From this reading “"Yes, my dear," the old gentleman patiently assented, "I know you do.”
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading “"Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."”
having intellectual depth
From this reading “You are very thoughtful."”
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 "Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading "Not at all.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading "Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."
any thing at all
From this reading If there is anything I hate, it is being thoughtful.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading You are very thoughtful."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Yes, my dear," the old gentleman patiently assented, "I know you do.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Not at all.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading "Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading If there is anything I hate, it is being thoughtful.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading "Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."
dearly loved
From this reading "Yes, my dear," the old gentleman patiently assented, "I know you do.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Yes, my dear," the old gentleman patiently assented, "I know you do.
a man of refinement
From this reading "Yes, my dear," the old gentleman patiently assented, "I know you do.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."
the father of your father or mother
From this reading "Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."
the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action
From this reading If there is anything I hate, it is being thoughtful.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If there is anything I hate, it is being thoughtful.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If there is anything I hate, it is being thoughtful.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If there is anything I hate, it is being thoughtful.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Yes, my dear," the old gentleman patiently assented, "I know you do.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Not at all.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading "Yes, my dear," the old gentleman patiently assented, "I know you do.
with patience; in a patient manner
From this reading "Yes, my dear," the old gentleman patiently assented, "I know you do.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading "Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Yes, my dear," the old gentleman patiently assented, "I know you do.
in or at that place or location
From this reading If there is anything I hate, it is being thoughtful.
having intellectual depth
From this reading You are very thoughtful."
precisely as stated
From this reading You are very thoughtful."
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, my dear," the old gentleman patiently assented, "I know you do.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Now, grandfather," she began, "you know I always give you a Christmas present."
Chapter 8 of Imaginary Interviews by William Dean Howells holds 399 sentences, grouped into 80 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 8 holds 399 sentences of Imaginary Interviews, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of Imaginary Interviews by William Dean Howells exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 399 sentences, grouped into 80 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 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 80 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 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.
Common questions about reading Imaginary Interviews by William Dean Howells on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3986 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28763 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #28763, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 332 minutes of reading across 798 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Imaginary Interviews section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 10 chapters of Imaginary Interviews 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 Imaginary Interviews, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
