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Our Bessie
Our Bessie

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Our Bessie is here in full — 149 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Our Bessie
Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
AT THE GRANGE.
As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.
The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.
"What a beautiful creature!" exclaimed Bessie, who was exceedingly fond of all dumb animals.
"Look how friendly he is, as though he were welcoming me to The Grange."
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.

Our Bessie

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Our Bessie is here in full — 149 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
AT THE GRANGE.
/æt ðə ɡreɪndʒ/
Line 2
As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.
Line 3
The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.
Line 4
"What a beautiful creature!" exclaimed Bessie, who was exceedingly fond of all dumb animals.
Line 5
"Look how friendly he is, as though he were welcoming me to The Grange."

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.

basking verb US /ˈbæskɪŋ/

-ing form of “bask” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in

From this reading “The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.”

filtering verb US /ˈfɪltərɪŋ/

-ing form of “filter” — remove by passing through a filter

From this reading “As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.”

grange noun US /ɡreɪndʒ/

an outlying farm

From this reading “AT THE GRANGE.”

grazing noun US /ˈɡreɪzɪŋ/

the act of grazing

From this reading “As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.”

interlaced adjective US /ˌɪntərˈleɪst/

having a pattern of fretwork or latticework

From this reading “As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.”

wagging verb US /ˈwæɡɪŋ/

inflected form of “wag” — move from side to side

From this reading “The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.”

welcoming adjective US /ˈwelkəmɪŋ/

very cordial

From this reading “"Look how friendly he is, as though he were welcoming me to The Grange."”

widened verb US /ˈwaɪdənd/

past form of “widen” — become broader or wider or more extensive

From this reading “As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.”

All words in this reading · 107

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 As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

alighted

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

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

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 "What a beautiful creature!" exclaimed Bessie, who was exceedingly fond of all dumb animals.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

animalsnounUS /ˈænəməlz/

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

From this reading "What a beautiful creature!" exclaimed Bessie, who was exceedingly fond of all dumb animals.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading AT THE GRANGE.

avenuenounUS /ˈævənuː/

a line of approach

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

baskingverbUS /ˈbæskɪŋ/

-ing form of “bask” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading "What a beautiful creature!" exclaimed Bessie, who was exceedingly fond of all dumb animals.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

Bessie

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

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

branchesnounUS /ˈbræntʃəz/

plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

carriagenounUS /ˈkærɪdʒ/

a railcar where passengers ride

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

cattlenounUS /ˈkætəl/

domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

creaturenounUS /ˈkriːtʃər/

a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading "What a beautiful creature!" exclaimed Bessie, who was exceedingly fond of all dumb animals.

deerhoundnoun

very large and tall rough-coated dog bred for hunting deer; known as the royal dog of Scotland

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

dumbadjectiveUS /dʌm/

slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity

From this reading "What a beautiful creature!" exclaimed Bessie, who was exceedingly fond of all dumb animals.

elmsnounUS /elmz/

plural of “elm” — any of various trees of the genus Ulmus: important timber or shade trees

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

exceedinglyadverbUS /ɪkˈsiːdɪŋli/

to an extreme degree

From this reading "What a beautiful creature!" exclaimed Bessie, who was exceedingly fond of all dumb animals.

exclaimedverbUS /ɪkˈskleɪmd/

past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

From this reading "What a beautiful creature!" exclaimed Bessie, who was exceedingly fond of all dumb animals.

filteringverbUS /ˈfɪltərɪŋ/

-ing form of “filter” — remove by passing through a filter

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

fondadjectiveUS /fɑːnd/

having or displaying warmth or affection

From this reading "What a beautiful creature!" exclaimed Bessie, who was exceedingly fond of all dumb animals.

friendlyadjectiveUS /ˈfrendli/

characteristic of or befitting a friend

From this reading "Look how friendly he is, as though he were welcoming me to The Grange."

gatenounUS /ɡeɪt/

a movable barrier in a fence or wall

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

GRANGEnounUS /ɡreɪndʒ/

an outlying farm

From this reading AT THE GRANGE.

grazingnounUS /ˈɡreɪzɪŋ/

the act of grazing

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

hallnounUS /hɔːl/

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

hedgerows

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

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

housenounUS /haʊs/

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

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

how

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

From this reading "Look how friendly he is, as though he were welcoming me to The Grange."

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

interlacedadjectiveUS /ˌɪntərˈleɪst/

having a pattern of fretwork or latticework

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "Look how friendly he is, as though he were welcoming me to The Grange."

ivynounUS /ˈaɪvi/

Old World vine with lobed evergreen leaves and black berrylike fruits

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

lanenounUS /leɪn/

a narrow way or road

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

lazilyadverbUS /ˈlæzəli/

in a slow and lazy manner

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

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 The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

LookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading "Look how friendly he is, as though he were welcoming me to The Grange."

lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading "Look how friendly he is, as though he were welcoming me to The Grange."

meadownounUS /ˈmedoʊ/

a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

MissverbUS /mɪs/

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

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

nosenounUS /noʊz/

the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/

used of mouth or eyes

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

picturesqueadjectiveUS /ˈpɪktʃərəsk/

suggesting or suitable for a picture; pretty as a picture

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

ponynounUS /ˈpoʊniː/

a range horse of the western United States

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

quiveringnounUS /ˈkwɪvərɪŋ/

a shaky motion

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

rednounUS /red/

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

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

rousedverbUS /raʊzd/

past form of “rouse” — become active

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

ScotchnounUS /skɑːtʃ/

a slight surface cut (especially a notch that is made to keep a tally)

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

Sefton

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

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

shadowsnounUS /ˈʃædoʊz/

plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

slenderadjectiveUS /ˈslendər/

being of delicate or slender build

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

slowlyadverbUS /ˈsloʊli/

without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

smotheredadjectiveUS /ˈsmʌðərd/

held in check with difficulty

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

spokenounUS /spoʊk/

support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

stablesnounUS /ˈsteɪbəlz/

plural of “stable” — a farm building for housing horses or other livestock

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

stragglingadjective

spreading out in different directions or distributed irregularly

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

sunlightnounUS /ˈsʌnlaɪt/

the rays of the sun

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

tailnounUS /teɪl/

the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading AT THE GRANGE.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

thickadjectiveUS /θɪk/

not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading "Look how friendly he is, as though he were welcoming me to The Grange."

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

throwingverbUS /ˈθroʊɪŋ/

-ing form of “throw” — propel through the air

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

waggingverbUS /ˈwæɡɪŋ/

inflected form of “wag” — move from side to side

From this reading The hall door stood open and a fine Scotch deerhound lay basking in the afternoon sun; he roused himself lazily as the pony carriage stopped before the door, and as Bessie alighted he came up to her wagging his tail slowly, and put his long, slender nose into her hand.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

welcomingadjectiveUS /ˈwelkəmɪŋ/

very cordial

From this reading "Look how friendly he is, as though he were welcoming me to The Grange."

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "What a beautiful creature!" exclaimed Bessie, who was exceedingly fond of all dumb animals.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading "What a beautiful creature!" exclaimed Bessie, who was exceedingly fond of all dumb animals.

widenedverbUS /ˈwaɪdənd/

past form of “widen” — become broader or wider or more extensive

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading As Miss Sefton spoke the lane widened before them, and the hedgerows gave place to a short avenue of elms, the sunlight filtering through the thick interlaced branches, and throwing quivering shadows on the white road below; a low white gate opened into a meadow where some cattle were grazing, and on the right hand side was a large, straggling red house, with picturesque stables half smothered in ivy.

Chapter 8 of Our Bessie by Rosa Nouchette Carey holds 149 sentences, grouped into 30 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 8 of Our Bessie contain?

Chapter 8 holds 149 sentences of Our Bessie, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of Our Bessie by Rosa Nouchette Carey exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 149 sentences, grouped into 30 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 8 of Our Bessie?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Our Bessie

Common questions about reading Our Bessie by Rosa Nouchette Carey on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Our Bessie?

Yes. All 4141 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28651 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Our Bessie is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #28651, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Our Bessie take to read?

About 345 minutes of reading across 829 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Our Bessie section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of Our Bessie 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 Our Bessie

Words and structures a reader meets early in Our Bessie, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Our Bessie; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Merle's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Our Bessie; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Crusade
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Our Bessie; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Other
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Our Bessie; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.