Chapter 18 of Lyre and Lancet: A Story in Scenes is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVIII
Chapter 18 of Lyre and Lancet: A Story in Scenes is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_. _Miss Spelwane_ (_to herself_). Not Clarion Blair! Not even a poet! I--I could _slap_ him!
Chapter 18 of Lyre and Lancet: A Story in Scenes is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
British statesman who became prime minister in 1997 (born in 1953)
From this reading “Not Clarion Blair!”
blow the clarion
From this reading “Not Clarion Blair!”
plural of “comment” — a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading “THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.”
third-person singular of “ensue” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end
From this reading “THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.”
characterized by an inability to mask your feelings; not devious
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
hit with something flat, like a paddle or the open hand
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading “THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.”
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.
In this reading “THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.”
the final irritation that stretches your patience beyond the limit
In this reading “THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.”
In this reading “THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.”
In this reading “THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
later than; following
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
British statesman who became prime minister in 1997 (born in 1953)
From this reading Not Clarion Blair!
terminate
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
blow the clarion
From this reading Not Clarion Blair!
plural of “comment” — a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I--I could _slap_ him!
third-person singular of “ensue” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
divisible by two
From this reading Not even a poet!
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading _Miss Spelwane_ (_to herself_).
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I--I could _slap_ him!
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I--I could _slap_ him!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
characterized by an inability to mask your feelings; not devious
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
immediately past
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading _Miss Spelwane_ (_to herself_).
not any; not one
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not Clarion Blair!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
causing physical or psychological pain
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)
From this reading Not even a poet!
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
hit with something flat, like a paddle or the open hand
From this reading I--I could _slap_ him!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Miss Spelwane_ (_to herself_).
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading THE LAST STRAW _After_ SPURRELL'S _ingenuous comments upon the volume in his hand, a painful silence ensues, which no one has sufficient presence of mind to break for several seconds_.
Chapter 18 of Lyre and Lancet: A Story in Scenes by F. Anstey holds 150 sentences, grouped into 30 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 18 holds 150 sentences of Lyre and Lancet: A Story in Scenes, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 18 of Lyre and Lancet: A Story in Scenes by F. Anstey exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 150 sentences, grouped into 30 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 30 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 can be played aloud in United States English.
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About 334 minutes of reading across 803 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
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Words and structures a reader meets early in Lyre and Lancet: A Story in Scenes, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
