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Penelope's Irish Experiences
Penelope's Irish Experiences

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Penelope's Irish Experiences is here in full — 74 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/14 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'
Charles Wolfe.
At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.
I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!
I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Penelope's Irish Experiences

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Penelope's Irish Experiences is here in full — 74 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/14 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'
/bʌt hiː leɪ laɪk ə ˈwɔːriər ˈteɪkɪŋ hɪz rest wɪð hɪz ˈmɑːrʃəl kloʊk ərˈaʊnd hɪm/
Line 2
Charles Wolfe.
/tʃɑːrlz wʊlf/
Line 3
At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.
Line 4
I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!
Line 5
I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.
/aɪ keɪm ɪn tuː faɪnd aʊt ɪf jɔːr bed ɪz æz bæd æz maɪn bʌt aɪ siː juː hæv nɑːt slept ɪn ɪt ʃiː ˈwɪspərd/

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.

ballad noun US /ˈbæləd/

a narrative song with a recurrent refrain

From this reading “I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!”

braid verb US /breɪd/

make by braiding or interlacing

From this reading “At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.”

martial adjective US /ˈmɑːrʃəl/

(of persons) befitting a warrior

From this reading “'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'”

memorable adjective US /ˈmemərəbəl/

worth remembering

From this reading “I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!”

ministerial adjective US /ˌmɪnɪˈstiːriəl/

of or relating to a minister of religion or the minister's office

From this reading “I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!”

role noun US /roʊl/

the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group

From this reading “I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!”

tap verb US /tæp/

cut a female screw thread with a tap

From this reading “At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.”

Wolfe noun US /wʊlf/

United States writer who has written extensively on American culture (born in 1931)

From this reading “Charles Wolfe.”

All words in this reading · 94

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 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

actingnounUS /ˈæktɪŋ/

the performance of a part or role in a drama

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

badadjectiveUS /bæd/

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

balladnounUS /ˈbæləd/

a narrative song with a recurrent refrain

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

blackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

braidverbUS /breɪd/

make by braiding or interlacing

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

caughtverbUS /kɑːt/

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

CharlesnounUS /tʃɑːrlz/

King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)

From this reading Charles Wolfe.

cheeksnounUS /tʃiːks/

plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

cloaknounUS /kloʊk/

anything that covers or conceals

From this reading 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

doornounUS /dɔːr/

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

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

faintadjectiveUS /feɪnt/

deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

flushedadjectiveUS /flʌʃt/

having the pinkish flush of health

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

Francesca

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

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

gownnounUS /ɡaʊn/

a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

hairnounUS /her/

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

hangingnounUS /ˈhæŋɪŋ/

decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

HimselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

laughedverbUS /læft/

past form of “laugh” — produce laughter

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

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 At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

Macdonald

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

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

marryverbUS /ˈmeri/

take in marriage

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

martialadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrʃəl/

(of persons) befitting a warrior

From this reading 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

memorableadjectiveUS /ˈmemərəbəl/

worth remembering

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

midnightnounUS /ˈmɪdnaɪt/

12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

minepronounUS /maɪn/

the one or ones belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

ministerialadjectiveUS /ˌmɪnɪˈstiːriəl/

of or relating to a minister of religion or the minister's office

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

occasionnounUS /əˈkeɪʒən/

an event that occurs at a critical time

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

ParisnounUS /ˈperɪs/

the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

PatricknounUS /ˈpætrɪk/

Apostle and patron saint of Ireland; an English missionary to Ireland in the 5th century

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

Pettybaw

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

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

playverbUS /pleɪ/

participate in games or sport

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

rolenounUS /roʊl/

the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

Ronald

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

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

SirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

sleptverbUS /slept/

inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

Spens

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

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

takingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

tapverbUS /tæp/

cut a female screw thread with a tap

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

tragicadjectiveUS /ˈtrædʒɪk/

very sad; especially involving grief or death or destruction

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

travellingnounUS /ˈtrævəlɪŋ/

the act of going from one place to another

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

warriornounUS /ˈwɔːriər/

someone engaged in or experienced in warfare

From this reading 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading I laughed as I saw her, she looked so like Sir Patrick Spens in the ballad play at Pettybaw,--a memorable occasion when Ronald Macdonald caught her acting that tragic role in his ministerial gown, the very day that Himself came from Paris to marry me in Pettybaw, dear little Pettybaw!

whisperedadjectiveUS /ˈwɪspərd/

spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

wideadjectiveUS /waɪd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading At midnight I heard a faint tap at my door, and Francesca walked in, her eyes wide and bright, her cheeks flushed, her long, dark braid of hair hanging over her black travelling cloak.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading 'But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him.'

WolfenounUS /wʊlf/

United States writer who has written extensively on American culture (born in 1931)

From this reading Charles Wolfe.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “I came in to find out if your bed is as bad as mine, but I see you have not slept in it,” she whispered.

Chapter 8 of Penelope's Irish Experiences by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin holds 74 sentences, grouped into 15 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 8 of Penelope's Irish Experiences contain?

Chapter 8 holds 74 sentences of Penelope's Irish Experiences, unabridged, divided into 15 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of Penelope's Irish Experiences by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 74 sentences, grouped into 15 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 Penelope's Irish Experiences?

Work through the 15 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 15 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 Penelope's Irish Experiences

Common questions about reading Penelope's Irish Experiences by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Penelope's Irish Experiences?

Yes. All 2548 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1391 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Penelope's Irish Experiences is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1391, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Penelope's Irish Experiences take to read?

About 212 minutes of reading across 510 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Penelope's Irish Experiences section by section

How to work through Penelope's Irish Experiences section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 32 chapters of Penelope's Irish Experiences 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 Penelope's Irish Experiences

Words and structures a reader meets early in Penelope's Irish Experiences, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Terrible
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Penelope's Irish Experiences; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ireland
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Penelope's Irish Experiences; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sunny
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Penelope's Irish Experiences; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Betther
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Penelope's Irish Experiences; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.