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Oak Openings
Oak Openings

Chapter XXVIII · Chapter 28

Chapter 28 of Oak Openings is here in full — 316 sentences across 64 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Oak Openings
Context Illustration Reading 1/63 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.
Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.
Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!
Eternity!
--MRS.
0:00 / 0:00
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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.

Oak Openings

Chapter XXVIII · Chapter 28

Chapter 28 of Oak Openings is here in full — 316 sentences across 64 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/63 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.
/jes wiː hæv niːd tuː bɪd ˈaʊər hoʊps riˈpoʊz ɑːn sʌm prəˈtektɪŋ ˈɪnfluːəns hiːr kənˈfaɪnd laɪf hæθ noʊ ˈhiːlɪŋ bɑːm fɔːr ˈmentəl woʊz ɜːrθ ɪz tuː ˈneroʊ fɔːr ðə ɪˈmɔːr.t̬əl maɪnd/
Line 2
Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.
Line 3
Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!
Line 4
Eternity!
/ɪˈtɜːrnəti/
Line 5
--MRS.
/ˈmɪsɪz/

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.

balm noun US /bɑːm/

any of various aromatic resinous substances used for healing and soothing

From this reading “Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.”

exiles noun US /ˈeɡzaɪlz/

plural of “exile” — a person who is voluntarily absent from home or country

From this reading “Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.”

healing noun US /ˈhiːlɪŋ/

the natural process by which the body repairs itself

From this reading “Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.”

hovers verb US /ˈhʌvərz/

third-person singular of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action

From this reading “Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!”

lured verb US /lʊrd/

past form of “lure” — provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion

From this reading “Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.”

mingle verb US /ˈmɪŋɡəl/

to bring or combine together or with something else

From this reading “Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.”

protecting adjective US /prəˈtektɪŋ/

shielding (or designed to shield) against harm or discomfort

From this reading “Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.”

woes noun US /woʊz/

plural of “woe” — misery resulting from affliction

From this reading “Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.”

All words in this reading · 68

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.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

balmnounUS /bɑːm/

any of various aromatic resinous substances used for healing and soothing

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

bidverbUS /bɪd/

propose a payment

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

burnverbUS /bɜːrn/

To consume or be consumed by fire.

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

coastnounUS /koʊst/

the shore of a sea or ocean

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

comesnounUS /kʌmz/

plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract

From this reading Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!

confinedadjectiveUS /kənˈfaɪnd/

not invading healthy tissue

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

crossedadjectiveUS /krɔːst/

placed crosswise

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

DeathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!

EarthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

EternitynounUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəti/

time without end

From this reading Eternity!

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

exilesnounUS /ˈeɡzaɪlz/

plural of “exile” — a person who is voluntarily absent from home or country

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

gulfnounUS /ɡʌlf/

an arm of a sea or ocean partly enclosed by land; larger than a bay

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

hathauxiliary verbUS /hæθ/

an old form of “has”

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!

healingnounUS /ˈhiːlɪŋ/

the natural process by which the body repairs itself

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

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

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

hopesnounUS /hoʊps/

plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

hoversverbUS /ˈhʌvərz/

third-person singular of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action

From this reading Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!

immortaladjUS /ɪˈmɔːr.t̬əl/

Living forever; never dying or decaying. (Bất tử, trường tồn vĩnh cửu.)

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!

influencenounUS /ˈɪnfluːəns/

a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

LifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

lo

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

From this reading Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!

luredverbUS /lʊrd/

past form of “lure” — provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

mentaladjectiveUS /ˈmentəl/

involving the mind or an intellectual process

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

mingleverbUS /ˈmɪŋɡəl/

to bring or combine together or with something else

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

MRSnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading --MRS.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

narrowverbUS /ˈneroʊ/

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

nativeadjectiveUS /ˈneɪtɪv/

characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

neednounUS /niːd/

a condition requiring relief

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

pantingnounUS /ˈpæntɪŋ/

breathing heavily (as after exertion)

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

protectingadjectiveUS /prəˈtektɪŋ/

shielding (or designed to shield) against harm or discomfort

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

reposeverbUS /riˈpoʊz/

put or confide something in a person or thing

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

roundnounUS /raʊnd/

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!

shrinkingnounUS /ˈʃrɪŋkɪŋ/

process or result of becoming less or smaller

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

sighverbUS /saɪ/

heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily

From this reading Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

spiritsnounUS /ˈspɪrɪts/

an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

stormverbUS /stɔːrm/

behave violently, as if in state of a great anger

From this reading Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

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

From this reading Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

wild-flower

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

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

woesnounUS /woʊz/

plural of “woe” — misery resulting from affliction

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

YesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading Yes! we have need to bid our hopes repose On some protecting influence; here confined Life hath no healing balm for mental woes; Earth is too narrow for the immortal mind.

YetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Our spirits burn to mingle with the day, As exiles panting for their native coast; Yet lured by every wild-flower from their way, And shrinking from the gulf that must be crossed.

zephyr's

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

From this reading Death hovers round us--in the zephyr's sigh As in the storm he comes--and lo!

Chapter 28 of Oak Openings by James Fenimore Cooper holds 316 sentences, grouped into 64 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 Oak Openings contain?

Chapter 28 holds 316 sentences of Oak Openings, unabridged, divided into 64 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 28 of Oak Openings by James Fenimore Cooper exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 316 sentences, grouped into 64 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 Oak Openings?

Work through the 64 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 64 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 28 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading Oak Openings

Common questions about reading Oak Openings by James Fenimore Cooper on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Oak Openings?

Yes. All 7579 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4215 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Oak Openings is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4215, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Oak Openings take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1516 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Oak Openings section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 30 chapters of Oak Openings 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 Oak Openings

Words and structures a reader meets early in Oak Openings, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Little
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Oak Openings; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Improve
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Oak Openings; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Shining
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Oak Openings; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Gather
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Oak Openings; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.