Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Magnum Bonum
Magnum Bonum

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Magnum Bonum is here in full — 143 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Magnum Bonum
Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.
Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.
Behold me, for I cannot sleep.--Tennyson.
Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.
Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.
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.

Magnum Bonum

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Magnum Bonum is here in full — 143 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.
Line 2
Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.
/dɔːrz wer maɪ hɑːrt wɑːz woʊnt tuː biːt soʊ ˈkwɪkli ˈweɪtɪŋ fɔːr ə hænd ə hænd ðæt kæn biː klæspt noʊ mɔːr/
Line 3
Behold me, for I cannot sleep.--Tennyson.
Line 4
Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.
Line 5
Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party asMiss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

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.

boated verb US /ˈboʊtɪd/

past form of “boat” — ride in a boat on water

From this reading “Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.”

exile verb US /ˈeɡzaɪl/

expel from a country

From this reading ““Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.”

holiday noun US /ˈhɑːlədeɪ/

leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure

From this reading “Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.”

hunted adjective US /ˈhʌntəd/

reflecting the fear or terror of one who is hunted

From this reading “Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.”

paddled verb US /ˈpædəld/

past form of “paddle” — propel with a paddle

From this reading “Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.”

senior adjective US /ˈsiːnjər/

older; higher in rank; longer in length of tenure or service

From this reading “Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.”

Tennyson noun US /ˈtenɪsən/

Englishman and Victorian poet (1809-1892)

From this reading “Behold me, for I cannot sleep.--Tennyson.”

weeds noun US /wiːdz/

a black garment (dress) worn by a widow as a sign of mourning

From this reading “Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.”

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 Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

Acton

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

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

addressingverbUS /əˈdresɪŋ/

-ing form of “address” — speak to

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

amusedadjectiveUS /əˈmjuːzd/

pleasantly occupied

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

animalsnounUS /ˈænəməlz/

plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

babynounUS /ˈbeɪbi/

a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

beachnounUS /biːtʃ/

an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

beatverbUS /biːt/

come out better in a competition, race, or conflict

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

BeholdverbUS /bɪˈhoʊld/

see with attention

From this reading Behold me, for I cannot sleep.--Tennyson.

boatedverbUS /ˈboʊtɪd/

past form of “boat” — ride in a boat on water

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

Bobus

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

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

boynounUS /bɔɪ/

a youthful male person

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

brothersnounUS /ˈbrʌðərz/

plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

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

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

cannot

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

From this reading Behold me, for I cannot sleep.--Tennyson.

capacitynounUS /kəˈpæsəti/

capability to perform or produce

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

Carey

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

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

chargeverbUS /tʃɑːrdʒ/

to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

claspedverbUS /klæspt/

past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

climbedverbUS /klaɪmd/

past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

DarknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

destroyverbUS /dɪˈstrɔɪ/

do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

DoorsnounUS /dɔːrz/

plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

enjoymentnounUS /ˌenˈdʒɔɪmənt/

the pleasure felt when having a good time

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

EvenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

exceedinglyadverbUS /ɪkˈsiːdɪŋli/

to an extreme degree

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

exileverbUS /ˈeɡzaɪl/

expel from a country

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

HereadverbUS /hiːr/

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

From this reading Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

holidaynounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪ/

leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

huntedadjectiveUS /ˈhʌntəd/

reflecting the fear or terror of one who is hunted

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

insistedverbUS /ˌɪnˈsɪstəd/

past form of “insist” — be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

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 Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Behold me, for I cannot sleep.--Tennyson.

MissverbUS /mɪs/

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

MothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

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

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

paddledverbUS /ˈpædəld/

past form of “paddle” — propel with a paddle

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

partynounUS /ˈpɑːrti/

an organization to gain political power

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

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

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/

with speed

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

rocksnounUS /rɑːks/

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

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

senioradjectiveUS /ˈsiːnjər/

older; higher in rank; longer in length of tenure or service

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

sixnounUS /sɪks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

sleepnounUS /sliːp/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading Behold me, for I cannot sleep.--Tennyson.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

standverbUS /stænd/

be standing; be upright

From this reading Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

streetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

TennysonnounUS /ˈtenɪsən/

Englishman and Victorian poet (1809-1892)

From this reading Behold me, for I cannot sleep.--Tennyson.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

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 Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

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

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

unlovelyadjective

without beauty or charm

From this reading Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

weedsnounUS /wiːdz/

a black garment (dress) worn by a widow as a sign of mourning

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “Mother Carey,” to call her by the family name that her husband had given the first day she held a baby in her arms, had a capacity of enjoyment that what she called her exile could not destroy.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Dark house, by which once more I stand Here in the long unlovely street.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

wontnounUS /woʊnt/

an established custom

From this reading Doors, where my heart was wont to beat So quickly, waiting for a hand-- A hand that can be clasped no more.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Even Bobus left theory behind him and became a holiday boy, and the whole six climbed rocks, paddled, boated, hunted sea weeds and sea animals, lived on the beach from morning to night; and were exceedingly amused by the people, who insisted on addressing the senior of the party as “Miss,” and thought them a young girl and her brothers under the charge of Mrs. Acton.

Chapter 3 of Magnum Bonum by Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary) Yonge holds 143 sentences, grouped into 29 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 3 of Magnum Bonum contain?

Chapter 3 holds 143 sentences of Magnum Bonum, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of Magnum Bonum by Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary) Yonge exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 143 sentences, grouped into 29 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 3 of Magnum Bonum?

Work through the 29 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 29 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 Magnum Bonum

Common questions about reading Magnum Bonum by Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary) Yonge on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Magnum Bonum?

Yes. All 11563 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5080 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Magnum Bonum is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #5080, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Magnum Bonum take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2313 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Magnum Bonum section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Magnum Bonum 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 Magnum Bonum

Words and structures a reader meets early in Magnum Bonum, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Orphan
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Magnum Bonum; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Scott
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Magnum Bonum; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mother
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Magnum Bonum; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Great
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Magnum Bonum; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.