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Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life
Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/85 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Wherefore I give her the pin, smiling very sarcastically.
“After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.
It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.
I understand, too, that a world in which Being does not contradict Non-Being, is to our minds equivalent to no world at all.
So that my faith is similar to your unfaith, but inferred and formulated otherwise.”
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Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/85 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Wherefore I give her the pin, smiling very sarcastically.
/werˈfɔːr aɪ ɡɪv hɜːr ðə pɪn ˈsmaɪlɪŋ ˈveri sɑːrˈkæstɪkli/
Line 2
“After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.
/ˈæftər ɔːl aɪ kənˈkluːd ˈraɪzɪŋ frʌm ðə ˈhɑːloʊ rɪdʒ ənd priˈperɪŋ tuː wɔːk hoʊm aɪ kwaɪt ˌʌndərˈstænd ðæt wʌt aɪ hæv sed əˈmaʊnts tuː ðə seɪm æz bɪˈliːf ɪn ˈnʌθɪŋ/
Line 3
It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.
Line 4
I understand, too, that a world in which Being does not contradict Non-Being, is to our minds equivalent to no world at all.
Line 5
So that my faith is similar to your unfaith, but inferred and formulated otherwise.”

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.

amounts noun US /əˈmaʊnts/

plural of “amount” — a quantity of money

From this reading ““After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.”

conditioning noun US /kənˈdɪʃənɪŋ/

a learning process in which an organism's behavior becomes dependent on the occurrence of a stimulus in its environment

From this reading “It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.”

contradict verb US /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkt/

be in contradiction with

From this reading “I understand, too, that a world in which Being does not contradict Non-Being, is to our minds equivalent to no world at all.”

Ego noun US /ˈiːɡoʊ/

an inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others

From this reading “It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.”

formulated adjective US /ˈfɔːrmjəleɪtəd/

devised; developed according to an orderly plan

From this reading “So that my faith is similar to your unfaith, but inferred and formulated otherwise.””

inferred verb US /ˌɪnˈfɜːrd/

inflected form of “infer” — reason by deduction; establish by deduction

From this reading “So that my faith is similar to your unfaith, but inferred and formulated otherwise.””

sarcastically adverb US /sɑːrˈkæstɪkli/

in a sarcastic manner

From this reading “Wherefore I give her the pin, smiling very sarcastically.”

self-consciousness noun US /ˌselfˈkɑːnʃəsnəs/

embarrassment deriving from the feeling that others are critically aware of you

From this reading “It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.”

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.

walk home noun + noun

In this reading ““After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.”

after death preposition + noun

In this reading “It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.”

All words in this reading · 75

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 It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(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 “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

amountsnounUS /əˈmaʊnts/

plural of “amount” — a quantity of money

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading I understand, too, that a world in which Being does not contradict Non-Being, is to our minds equivalent to no world at all.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

beliefnounUS /bɪˈliːf/

any cognitive content held as true

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading So that my faith is similar to your unfaith, but inferred and formulated otherwise.”

ceaseverbUS /siːs/

put an end to a state or an activity

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

concludeverbUS /kənˈkluːd/

decide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

conditioningnounUS /kənˈdɪʃənɪŋ/

a learning process in which an organism's behavior becomes dependent on the occurrence of a stimulus in its environment

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

contradictverbUS /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkt/

be in contradiction with

From this reading I understand, too, that a world in which Being does not contradict Non-Being, is to our minds equivalent to no world at all.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading I understand, too, that a world in which Being does not contradict Non-Being, is to our minds equivalent to no world at all.

EgonounUS /ˈiːɡoʊ/

an inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

equivalentnounUS /ɪˈkwɪvələnt/

a person or thing equal to another in value or measure or force or effect or significance etc

From this reading I understand, too, that a world in which Being does not contradict Non-Being, is to our minds equivalent to no world at all.

faithnounUS /feɪθ/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading So that my faith is similar to your unfaith, but inferred and formulated otherwise.”

formulatedadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmjəleɪtəd/

devised; developed according to an orderly plan

From this reading So that my faith is similar to your unfaith, but inferred and formulated otherwise.”

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Wherefore I give her the pin, smiling very sarcastically.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Wherefore I give her the pin, smiling very sarcastically.

hollowadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːloʊ/

not solid; having a space or gap or cavity

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Wherefore I give her the pin, smiling very sarcastically.

ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

inferredverbUS /ˌɪnˈfɜːrd/

inflected form of “infer” — reason by deduction; establish by deduction

From this reading So that my faith is similar to your unfaith, but inferred and formulated otherwise.”

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

mindsnounUS /maɪndz/

plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason

From this reading I understand, too, that a world in which Being does not contradict Non-Being, is to our minds equivalent to no world at all.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

Non-Being

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

From this reading I understand, too, that a world in which Being does not contradict Non-Being, is to our minds equivalent to no world at all.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I understand, too, that a world in which Being does not contradict Non-Being, is to our minds equivalent to no world at all.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

otherwiseadverbUS /ˈʌðərwaɪz/

in other respects or ways

From this reading So that my faith is similar to your unfaith, but inferred and formulated otherwise.”

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading I understand, too, that a world in which Being does not contradict Non-Being, is to our minds equivalent to no world at all.

pinverbUS /pɪn/

to hold fast or prevent from moving

From this reading Wherefore I give her the pin, smiling very sarcastically.

preparingverbUS /priˈperɪŋ/

-ing form of “prepare” — make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

ridgenounUS /rɪdʒ/

a long narrow natural elevation or striation

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

risingadjectiveUS /ˈraɪzɪŋ/

advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

sarcasticallyadverbUS /sɑːrˈkæstɪkli/

in a sarcastic manner

From this reading Wherefore I give her the pin, smiling very sarcastically.

self-consciousnessnounUS /ˌselfˈkɑːnʃəsnəs/

embarrassment deriving from the feeling that others are critically aware of you

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

similaradjectiveUS /ˈsɪmələr/

marked by correspondence or resemblance

From this reading So that my faith is similar to your unfaith, but inferred and formulated otherwise.”

smilingnounUS /ˈsmaɪlɪŋ/

a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

From this reading Wherefore I give her the pin, smiling very sarcastically.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So that my faith is similar to your unfaith, but inferred and formulated otherwise.”

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Wherefore I give her the pin, smiling very sarcastically.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading I understand, too, that a world in which Being does not contradict Non-Being, is to our minds equivalent to no world at all.

transferredverbUS /trænˈsfɜːrd/

inflected form of “transfer” — transfer somebody to a different position or location of work

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

unfaith

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

From this reading So that my faith is similar to your unfaith, but inferred and formulated otherwise.”

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Wherefore I give her the pin, smiling very sarcastically.

walknounUS /wɔːk/

the act of traveling by foot

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “After all,” I conclude, rising from the hollow ridge and preparing to walk home, “I quite understand that what I have said amounts to the same as belief in nothing.

WhereforeadverbUS /werˈfɔːr/

an old word meaning “why” or “for that reason”

From this reading Wherefore I give her the pin, smiling very sarcastically.

wherein

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

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading I understand, too, that a world in which Being does not contradict Non-Being, is to our minds equivalent to no world at all.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading It is all the same to me whether I shall cease to be after death, or be transferred to a world wherein there is no idea of being, or of any Ego, conditioning my self-consciousness.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading So that my faith is similar to your unfaith, but inferred and formulated otherwise.”

Chapter 2 of Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life by Zofia Nałkowska holds 429 sentences, grouped into 86 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 Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life contain?

Chapter 2 holds 429 sentences of Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life by Zofia Nałkowska exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 429 sentences, grouped into 86 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 Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life?

Work through the 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 86 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 Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life

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Yes. All 3830 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #61618 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #61618, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

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About 319 minutes of reading across 766 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life

Words and structures a reader meets early in Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Https
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Translated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Polish
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Michael
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Kobiety (Women): A Novel of Polish Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.