Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Living Alone
Living Alone

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Living Alone is here in full — 178 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Living Alone
Context Illustration Reading 1/35 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.
She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.
Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.
There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.
Touch on stationery and you touched an insane spot in Sarah Brown's mind.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Living Alone

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Living Alone is here in full — 178 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/35 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.
/ðə fərˈbɪd.ən ˈsændwɪtʃ waɪl ˈserə braʊnz əˈnenviːəbəl ˈleʒər wɑːz spent ɪn ˈæktɪŋ æz sleɪv tuː kəˈmɪtiz ʃiː hæd æt ðə seɪm taɪm ə ˈhæftaɪm prəˈfeʃən wɪtʃ wen ʃiː wɑːz wel ɪˈnʌf tuː ˈfɑːloʊ ɪt brɔːt ˈtwenti ˈʃɪlɪŋz ə wiːk tuː hɜːr ˈpɑːkət/
Line 2
She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.
Line 3
Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.
/ˈserə braʊn ˈnevər θɔːt əˈbaʊt ðə ˈθɪri ʌv ðɪs wɜːrk bɪˈkɔːz ðə ˈdɪfərənt ˈkʌlərd ɪŋks ənd ðə ˈbjuːtəfəl ˈraɪtɪŋ pliːzd hɜːr soʊ/
Line 4
There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.
Line 5
Touch on stationery and you touched an insane spot in Sarah Brown's mind.
/tʌtʃ ɑːn ˈsteɪʃəneri ənd juː tʌtʃt æn ˌɪnˈseɪn spɑːt ɪn ˈserə braʊnz maɪnd/

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.

committees noun US /kəˈmɪtiz/

plural of “committee” — a special group delegated to consider some matter

From this reading “THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.”

forerunners noun US /ˈfɔːrʌnərz/

plural of “forerunner” — a person who goes before or announces the coming of another

From this reading “She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.”

half-time adjective US /ˈhæftaɪm/

involving half the standard or customary time for an activity

From this reading “THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.”

inks noun US /ɪŋks/

plural of “ink” — a liquid used for printing or writing or drawing

From this reading “Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.”

ream verb US /riːm/

squeeze the juice out (of a fruit) with a reamer

From this reading “There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.”

sharpening verb US /ˈʃɑːrpənɪŋ/

-ing form of “sharpen” — make sharp or sharper

From this reading “There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.”

stationery noun US /ˈsteɪʃəneri/

paper cut to an appropriate size for writing letters; usually with matching envelopes

From this reading “Touch on stationery and you touched an insane spot in Sarah Brown's mind.”

unenviable adjective US /əˈnenviːəbəl/

hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment

From this reading “THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.”

All words in this reading · 131

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 THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

actingnounUS /ˈæktɪŋ/

the performance of a part or role in a drama

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

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 She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

alphabetnounUS /ˈælfəbet/

a character set that includes letters and is used to write a language

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

appropriateverbUS /əˈproʊpriət/

give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.

beautifullyadverbUS /ˈbjuːtəfli/

in a beautiful manner

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

benefitnounUS /ˈbenəfɪt/

financial assistance in time of need

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

BrownnounUS /braʊn/

an orange of low brightness and saturation

From this reading Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.

Brown'snounUS /braʊnz/

possessive form of “brown” — an orange of low brightness and saturation

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

cardsnounUS /kɑːrdz/

a game played with playing cards

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

charitableadjectiveUS /ˈtʃærətəbəl/

relating to or characterized by charity

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

ciphers

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

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

collectingnounUS /kəˈlektɪŋ/

the act of gathering something together

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

colouredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌlərd/

having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination

From this reading Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.

committeesnounUS /kəˈmɪtiz/

plural of “committee” — a special group delegated to consider some matter

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

dedicationnounUS /ˌdedəˈkeɪʃən/

complete and wholehearted fidelity

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

differentadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfərənt/

unlike in nature or quality or form or degree

From this reading Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

earsnounUS /ɪrz/

plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

evidencenounUS /ˈevədəns/

your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

experienceverbUS /ɪkˈspɪriəns/

undergo or live through a difficult experience

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

followverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊ/

to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

FORBIDDENadjectiveUS /fərˈbɪd.ən/

Not allowed; banned or prohibited by rule or law.

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

forerunnersnounUS /ˈfɔːrʌnərz/

plural of “forerunner” — a person who goes before or announces the coming of another

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

greennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

habitnounUS /ˈhæbət/

an established custom

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

half-timeadjectiveUS /ˈhæftaɪm/

involving half the standard or customary time for an activity

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

holynounUS /ˈhoʊli/

a sacred place of pilgrimage

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

inksnounUS /ɪŋks/

plural of “ink” — a liquid used for printing or writing or drawing

From this reading Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.

insaneadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈseɪn/

afflicted with or characteristic of mental derangement

From this reading Touch on stationery and you touched an insane spot in Sarah Brown's mind.

inspirationnounUS /ˌɪnspərˈeɪʃən/

arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

labours

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

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

leisurenounUS /ˈleʒər/

time available for ease and relaxation

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

lovableadjectiveUS /ˈlʌvəbəl/

having characteristics that attract love or affection

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Touch on stationery and you touched an insane spot in Sarah Brown's mind.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

mysteriousadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/

of an obscure nature

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

NaughtyadjectiveUS /ˈnɔːti/

suggestive of sexual impropriety

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

officenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Touch on stationery and you touched an insane spot in Sarah Brown's mind.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

pencilnounUS /ˈpensəl/

a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in wood

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

penholders

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

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

pleasedadjectiveUS /pliːzd/

experiencing or manifesting pleasure

From this reading Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.

pocketnounUS /ˈpɑːkət/

a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

poemnounUS /ˈpoʊəm/

a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

PooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

prayernounUS /prer/

the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

professionnounUS /prəˈfeʃən/

the body of people in a learned occupation

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

reamverbUS /riːm/

squeeze the juice out (of a fruit) with a reamer

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

SANDWICHnounUS /ˈsændwɪtʃ/

two (or more) slices of bread with a filling between them

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

SarahnounUS /ˈserə/

(Old Testament) the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

sharpeningverbUS /ˈʃɑːrpənɪŋ/

-ing form of “sharpen” — make sharp or sharper

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

shillingsnounUS /ˈʃɪlɪŋz/

plural of “shilling” — the basic unit of money in Uganda; equal to 100 cents

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

slavenounUS /sleɪv/

a person who is owned by someone

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

spentadjectiveUS /spent/

depleted of energy, force, or strength

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

spiesnounUS /spaɪz/

plural of “spy” — (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

spotnounUS /spɑːt/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Touch on stationery and you touched an insane spot in Sarah Brown's mind.

spyverbUS /spaɪ/

catch sight of

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

stationerynounUS /ˈsteɪʃəneri/

paper cut to an appropriate size for writing letters; usually with matching envelopes

From this reading Touch on stationery and you touched an insane spot in Sarah Brown's mind.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

theorynounUS /ˈθɪri/

a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena

From this reading Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

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

From this reading Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

TouchverbUS /tʌtʃ/

make physical contact with, come in contact with

From this reading Touch on stationery and you touched an insane spot in Sarah Brown's mind.

touchedadjectiveUS /tʌtʃt/

having come into contact

From this reading Touch on stationery and you touched an insane spot in Sarah Brown's mind.

twentynounUS /ˈtwenti/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

unenviableadjectiveUS /əˈnenviːəbəl/

hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

virginnounUS /ˈvɜːrdʒɪn/

a person who has never had sex

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading THE FORBIDDEN SANDWICH While Sarah Brown's unenviable leisure was spent in acting as slave to committees, she had at the same time a half-time profession which, when she was well enough to follow it, brought twenty shillings a week to her pocket.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

whompronounUS /huːm/

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

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading There are people to whom a ream of virgin paper is an inspiration, who find the first sharpening of a pencil the most lovable of all labours, who see something almost holy in the dedication of green and red penholders to their appropriate inks, in whose ears and before whose eyes the alphabet is like a poem or a prayer.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading Sarah Brown never thought about the theory of this work, because the different coloured inks and the beautiful writing pleased her so.

wrappingnounUS /ˈræpɪŋ/

the covering (usually paper or cellophane) in which something is wrapped

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

writingnounUS /ˈraɪtɪŋ/

the act of creating written works

From this reading She was in the habit of sitting every morning in a small office, collecting evidence from charitable spies about the Naughty Poor, and, after wrapping the evidence in mysterious ciphers, writing it down very beautifully upon little cards, so that the next spy might have the benefit of all his forerunners' experience.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Touch on stationery and you touched an insane spot in Sarah Brown's mind.

Chapter 4 of Living Alone by Stella Benson holds 178 sentences, grouped into 36 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 4 of Living Alone contain?

Chapter 4 holds 178 sentences of Living Alone, unabridged, divided into 36 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Living Alone by Stella Benson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 178 sentences, grouped into 36 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 4 of Living Alone?

Work through the 36 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 36 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 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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 Living Alone

Common questions about reading Living Alone by Stella Benson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Living Alone?

Yes. All 2602 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #14907 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Living Alone is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #14907, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Living Alone take to read?

About 216 minutes of reading across 521 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Living Alone section by section

How to work through Living Alone section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 10 chapters of Living Alone to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Living Alone

Words and structures a reader meets early in Living Alone, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Women
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Living Alone; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Seven
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Living Alone; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chairs
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Living Alone; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Table
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Living Alone; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.