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Laura Everingham
Laura Everingham

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of Laura Everingham is here in full — 88 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Laura Everingham
Context Illustration Reading 1/17 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE HEATHER ON FIRE!
On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.
We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.
These marked the site of a few huts.
Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Laura Everingham

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of Laura Everingham is here in full — 88 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
THE HEATHER ON FIRE!
/ðə ˈheðər ɑːn ˈfaɪər/
Line 2
On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.
Line 3
We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.
Line 4
These marked the site of a few huts.
/ðiːz mɑːrkt ðə saɪt ʌv ə fjuː hʌts/
Line 5
Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

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.

barbarity noun US /bɑːrˈbærəti/

the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane

From this reading “On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.”

bracken noun US /ˈbrækən/

fern of southeastern Asia; not hardy in cold temperate regions

From this reading “We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.”

contribution noun US /ˌkɑːntrəˈbjuːʃən/

the effort contributed by a person in bringing about a result

From this reading “Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.”

feathery adjective US /ˈfeðəri/

resembling or suggesting a feather or feathers

From this reading “We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.”

loitering verb US /ˈlɔɪtərɪŋ/

-ing form of “loiter” — be about

From this reading “On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.”

peat noun US /piːt/

partially carbonized vegetable matter saturated with water; can be used as a fuel when dried

From this reading “Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.”

urchin noun US /ˈɜːrtʃən/

poor and often mischievous city child

From this reading “Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.”

witnessing verb US /ˈwɪtnəsɪŋ/

-ing form of “witness” — be a witness to

From this reading “On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.”

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.

four miles noun + noun counted as “four mile”

In this reading “On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.”

among the ruins preposition + article + noun counted as “among … ruin”

In this reading “On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.”

little community adjective + noun

In this reading “Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.”

other boys adjective + noun counted as “other boy”

In this reading “Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.”

All words in this reading · 108

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 These marked the site of a few huts.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

attendedadjectiveUS /əˈtendɪd/

playing or singing with instrumental or vocal accompaniment

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

awaitedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪtɪd/

expected hopefully

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

barbaritynounUS /bɑːrˈbærəti/

the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

boysnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

brackennounUS /ˈbrækən/

fern of southeastern Asia; not hardy in cold temperate regions

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

braveadjectiveUS /breɪv/

possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

bringingnounUS /ˈbrɪŋɪŋ/

the act of delivering or distributing something (as goods or mail)

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

Callum

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

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

communitynounUS /kəˈmjuːnəti/

a group of people living in a particular local area

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

contentedadjectiveUS /kənˈtentəd/

satisfied or showing satisfaction with things as they are

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

contributionnounUS /ˌkɑːntrəˈbjuːʃən/

the effort contributed by a person in bringing about a result

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

customnounUS /ˈkʌstəm/

accepted or habitual practice

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

deniedverbUS /dɪˈnaɪd/

inflected form of “deny” — declare untrue; contradict

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

desolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/

the state of being decayed or destroyed

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

dog-grass

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

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

dweltverbUS /dwelt/

inflected form of “dwell” — think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

Ellars

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

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

failedverbUS /feɪld/

past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

featheryadjectiveUS /ˈfeðəri/

resembling or suggesting a feather or feathers

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading These marked the site of a few huts.

FIREverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading THE HEATHER ON FIRE!

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

fournounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

glennounUS /ɡlen/

a narrow secluded valley (in the mountains)

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

hamletnounUS /ˈhæmlət/

a community of people smaller than a village

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

HEATHERnounUS /ˈheðər/

common Old World heath represented by many varieties; low evergreen grown widely in the northern hemisphere

From this reading THE HEATHER ON FIRE!

HereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

HighlandnounUS /ˈhaɪlənd/

elevated (e.g., mountainous) land

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

hutsnounUS /hʌts/

plural of “hut” — temporary military shelter

From this reading These marked the site of a few huts.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

kilted

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

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

legsnounUS /leɡz/

staying power

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

loiteringverbUS /ˈlɔɪtərɪŋ/

-ing form of “loiter” — be about

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

MacnounUS /mæk/

a waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

markedadjectiveUS /mɑːrkt/

strongly marked; easily noticeable

From this reading These marked the site of a few huts.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

milesnounUS /maɪlz/

plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

mossnounUS /mɔːs/

tiny leafy-stemmed flowerless plants

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

mountainnounUS /ˈmaʊntən/

a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

namedverbUS /neɪmd/

past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE HEATHER ON FIRE!

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

once-peaceful

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

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

oppressedadjectiveUS /əˈprest/

burdened psychologically or mentally

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

peatnounUS /piːt/

partially carbonized vegetable matter saturated with water; can be used as a fuel when dried

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

pilesnounUS /paɪlz/

venous swelling external or internal to the anal sphincter

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

privilegenounUS /ˈprɪvlədʒ/

a special advantage or immunity or benefit not enjoyed by all

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

risingadjectiveUS /ˈraɪzɪŋ/

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

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

ruinsnounUS /ˈruːənz/

plural of “ruin” — an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

sadnessnounUS /ˈsædnəs/

emotions experienced when not in a state of well-being

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

scenesnounUS /siːnz/

plural of “scene” — the place where some action occurs

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

schoolnounUS /skuːl/

an educational institution

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

shroudedverbUS /ˈʃraʊdɪd/

past form of “shroud” — cover as if with a shroud

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

sitenounUS /saɪt/

the piece of land on which something is located (or is to be located)

From this reading These marked the site of a few huts.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

stonesnounUS /stoʊnz/

plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading We sat down on some piles of stones that were half shrouded by the rising dog-grass, the moss, and the long feathery bracken.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE HEATHER ON FIRE!

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading These marked the site of a few huts.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

tutorverbUS /ˈtuːtər/

be a tutor to someone; give individual instruction

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

urchinnounUS /ˈɜːrtʃən/

poor and often mischievous city child

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

wanderedverbUS /ˈwɑːndərd/

past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

warmingadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːrmɪŋ/

imparting heat

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Here once dwelt a brave little community named the Mac Ellars, one of whom had been my tutor, and here I had attended his little school, bringing each day with me, like other boys, a peat, as a contribution to his fire; for this is the old Highland custom, and the urchin who failed to do so was denied the privilege of warming his kilted legs for that day.

witnessingverbUS /ˈwɪtnəsɪŋ/

-ing form of “witness” — be a witness to

From this reading On this night Callum and I were loitering in the glen, among the ruins of our once-peaceful and contented mountain hamlet; but oppressed by sadness, on witnessing the new desolation of the place, we wandered three or four miles away, and there older scenes of barbarity awaited us.

Chapter 14 of Laura Everingham by James Grant holds 88 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 14 of Laura Everingham contain?

Chapter 14 holds 88 sentences of Laura Everingham, unabridged, divided into 18 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of Laura Everingham by James Grant exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 88 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 14 of Laura Everingham?

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.

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Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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.

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Vocabulary met early in Laura Everingham

Words and structures a reader meets early in Laura Everingham, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

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Chapter 3
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