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Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete
Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete

Chapter XXVIII · Chapter 28

Chapter 28 of Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete is here in full — 108 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.
He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.
A deep sentiment envelopes his heart, the countless roots of which sink into it in all directions.
Defects or qualities penetrate and feed on this sentiment.
Thus, we find in paternal love all the weaknesses and all the greatnesses of humanity.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete

Chapter XXVIII · Chapter 28

Chapter 28 of Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete is here in full — 108 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.
Line 2
He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.
/hiː fiːlz hɪmˈself ˌɪnˈveɪdəd baɪ ə niːd ʌv ə ˈspeʃəl ˈfɑːndnəs ʌv wɪtʃ ðə ˈswiːtəst ˌrekəˈlekʃənz ʌv hɪz pæst laɪf kæn ɡɪv noʊ aɪˈdiːə/
Line 3
A deep sentiment envelopes his heart, the countless roots of which sink into it in all directions.
/ə diːp ˈsentəmənt ˈenvəloʊps hɪz hɑːrt ðə ˈkaʊntləs ruːts ʌv wɪtʃ sɪŋk ˈɪntuː ɪt ɪn ɔːl dərˈekʃənz/
Line 4
Defects or qualities penetrate and feed on this sentiment.
/ˈdiːfekts ɔːr ˈkwɑːlətiz ˈpenətreɪt ənd fiːd ɑːn ðɪs ˈsentəmənt/
Line 5
Thus, we find in paternal love all the weaknesses and all the greatnesses of humanity.

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.

crockery noun US /ˈkrɑːkəri/

tableware (eating and serving dishes) collectively

From this reading “When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.”

Defects noun US /ˈdiːfekts/

plural of “defect” — an imperfection in a bodily system

From this reading “Defects or qualities penetrate and feed on this sentiment.”

envelopes noun US /ˈenvəloʊps/

plural of “envelope” — a flat (usually rectangular) container for a letter, thin package, etc.

From this reading “A deep sentiment envelopes his heart, the countless roots of which sink into it in all directions.”

fondness noun US /ˈfɑːndnəs/

a predisposition to like something

From this reading “He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.”

hostility noun US /hɑːˈstɪləti/

a hostile (very unfriendly) disposition

From this reading “When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.”

invaded verb US /ˌɪnˈveɪdəd/

past form of “invade” — march aggressively into another's territory by military force for the purposes of conquest and occupation

From this reading “He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.”

smashes noun US /ˈsmæʃɪz/

plural of “smash” — a vigorous blow

From this reading “When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.”

weaknesses noun US /ˈwiːknəsəz/

plural of “weakness” — a flaw or weak point

From this reading “Thus, we find in paternal love all the weaknesses and all the greatnesses of humanity.”

All words in this reading · 89

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 When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

actionsnounUS /ˈækʃənz/

plural of “action” — something done (usually as opposed to something said)

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

affectionnounUS /əˈfekʃən/

a positive feeling of liking

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

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 A deep sentiment envelopes his heart, the countless roots of which sink into it in all directions.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

babynounUS /ˈbeɪbi/

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

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

becomesverbUS /bɪˈkʌmz/

third-person singular of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

blowsnounUS /bloʊz/

plural of “blow” — a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

breaksnounUS /breɪks/

plural of “break” — some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

castors

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

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

countlessadjectiveUS /ˈkaʊntləs/

too numerous to be counted

From this reading A deep sentiment envelopes his heart, the countless roots of which sink into it in all directions.

crockerynounUS /ˈkrɑːkəri/

tableware (eating and serving dishes) collectively

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

cutsnounUS /kʌts/

plural of “cut” — a share of the profits

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

decidedadjectiveUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd/

recognizable; marked

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

deepadjectiveUS /diːp/

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading A deep sentiment envelopes his heart, the countless roots of which sink into it in all directions.

DefectsnounUS /ˈdiːfekts/

plural of “defect” — an imperfection in a bodily system

From this reading Defects or qualities penetrate and feed on this sentiment.

directionsnounUS /dərˈekʃənz/

plural of “direction” — a line leading to a place or point

From this reading A deep sentiment envelopes his heart, the countless roots of which sink into it in all directions.

drumsnounUS /drʌmz/

plural of “drum” — a musical percussion instrument; usually consists of a hollow cylinder with a membrane stretched across each end

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

envelopesnounUS /ˈenvəloʊps/

plural of “envelope” — a flat (usually rectangular) container for a letter, thin package, etc.

From this reading A deep sentiment envelopes his heart, the countless roots of which sink into it in all directions.

evinces

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

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

feedverbUS /fiːd/

provide as food

From this reading Defects or qualities penetrate and feed on this sentiment.

feelsnounUS /fiːlz/

plural of “feel” — an intuitive awareness

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading Thus, we find in paternal love all the weaknesses and all the greatnesses of humanity.

fondnessnounUS /ˈfɑːndnəs/

a predisposition to like something

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

fournounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

furniturenounUS /ˈfɜːrnɪtʃər/

furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

greatnesses

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

From this reading Thus, we find in paternal love all the weaknesses and all the greatnesses of humanity.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading A deep sentiment envelopes his heart, the countless roots of which sink into it in all directions.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

horsesnounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/

plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

hostilitynounUS /hɑːˈstɪləti/

a hostile (very unfriendly) disposition

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

humanitynounUS /hjuːˈmænɪti/

the quality of being humane

From this reading Thus, we find in paternal love all the weaknesses and all the greatnesses of humanity.

ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/

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

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading A deep sentiment envelopes his heart, the countless roots of which sink into it in all directions.

invadedverbUS /ˌɪnˈveɪdəd/

past form of “invade” — march aggressively into another's territory by military force for the purposes of conquest and occupation

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

neednounUS /niːd/

a condition requiring relief

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

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

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Defects or qualities penetrate and feed on this sentiment.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

paternaladjectiveUS /pəˈtɜːrnəl/

belonging to or inherited from one's father

From this reading Thus, we find in paternal love all the weaknesses and all the greatnesses of humanity.

penetrateverbUS /ˈpenətreɪt/

pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance

From this reading Defects or qualities penetrate and feed on this sentiment.

qualitiesnounUS /ˈkwɑːlətiz/

plural of “quality” — an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone

From this reading Defects or qualities penetrate and feed on this sentiment.

reachesnounUS /ˈriːtʃəz/

plural of “reach” — the limits within which something can be effective

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

recollectionsnounUS /ˌrekəˈlekʃənz/

plural of “recollection” — the ability to recall past occurrences

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

rootsnounUS /ruːts/

the condition of belonging to a particular place or group by virtue of social or ethnic or cultural lineage

From this reading A deep sentiment envelopes his heart, the countless roots of which sink into it in all directions.

sentimentnounUS /ˈsentəmənt/

tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion

From this reading A deep sentiment envelopes his heart, the countless roots of which sink into it in all directions.

sexnounUS /seks/

activities associated with sexual intercourse

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

showsnounUS /ʃoʊz/

plural of “show” — the act of publicly exhibiting or entertaining

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

sinkverbUS /sɪŋk/

fall or descend to a lower place or level

From this reading A deep sentiment envelopes his heart, the countless roots of which sink into it in all directions.

smashesnounUS /ˈsmæʃɪz/

plural of “smash” — a vigorous blow

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

sonnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

specialadjectiveUS /ˈspeʃəl/

unique or specific to a person or thing or category

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

sweetestadjectiveUS /ˈswiːtəst/

superlative of “sweet” — having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

tastesnounUS /teɪsts/

plural of “taste” — the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Defects or qualities penetrate and feed on this sentiment.

threenounUS /θriː/

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

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

ThusadverbUS /ðʌs/

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading Thus, we find in paternal love all the weaknesses and all the greatnesses of humanity.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

trumpetsnounUS /ˈtrʌmpəts/

pitcher plant of southeastern United States having erect yellow trumpet-shaped pitchers with wide mouths and erect lids

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Thus, we find in paternal love all the weaknesses and all the greatnesses of humanity.

weaknessesnounUS /ˈwiːknəsəz/

plural of “weakness” — a flaw or weak point

From this reading Thus, we find in paternal love all the weaknesses and all the greatnesses of humanity.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading He feels himself invaded by a need of a special fondness, of which the sweetest recollections of his past life can give no idea.

woodenadjectiveUS /ˈwʊdən/

made or consisting of (entirely or in part) or employing wood

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading When the baby reaches three or four years of age, when his sex shows itself in his actions, his tastes and his eyes, when he smashes his wooden horses, cuts open his drums, blows trumpets, breaks the castors off the furniture, and evinces a decided hostility to crockery; in a word, when he is a man, it is then that the affection of a father for his son becomes love.

Chapter 28 of Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete by Gustave Droz holds 108 sentences, grouped into 22 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 28 of Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete contain?

Chapter 28 holds 108 sentences of Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 28 of Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete by Gustave Droz exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 108 sentences, grouped into 22 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 28 of Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

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Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 28 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #3926, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

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About 336 minutes of reading across 808 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete

Words and structures a reader meets early in Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Devil
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Remember
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Notwithstanding
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dearly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.