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Penelope's Postscripts
Penelope's Postscripts

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Penelope's Postscripts is here in full — 158 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Penelope's Postscripts
Context Illustration Reading 1/31 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.
She frequently said: My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.
I’m therefore expecting to reap what I’ve sow_ed_, And go straight to heaven from Bettws-y-Co_ed_.’”
At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.
We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.
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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.

Penelope's Postscripts

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Penelope's Postscripts is here in full — 158 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.
Line 2
She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.
Line 3
I’m therefore expecting to reap what I’ve sow_ed_, And go straight to heaven from Bettws-y-Co_ed_.’”
Line 4
At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.
Line 5
We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

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.

blaze noun US /bleɪz/

a strong flame that burns brightly

From this reading “We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.”

coaching noun US /ˈkoʊtʃɪŋ/

the job of a professional coach

From this reading “At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.”

extra adjective US /ˈekstrə/

more than is needed, desired, or required

From this reading “We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.”

Goat noun US /ɡoʊt/

any of numerous agile ruminants related to sheep but having a beard and straight horns

From this reading “At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.”

portfolio noun US /pɔːrtˈfoʊlioʊ/

a large, flat, thin case for carrying loose papers or drawings or maps; usually leather

From this reading “We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.”

reap verb US /riːp/

gather, as of natural products

From this reading “I’m therefore expecting to reap what I’ve sow_ed_, And go straight to heaven from Bettws-y-Co_ed_.’””

sow verb US /saʊ/

place (seeds) in or on the ground for future growth

tour noun US /tʊr/

a journey or route all the way around a particular place or area

From this reading “At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.”

All words in this reading · 71

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

Beddgelert

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

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

Bettws-y-Co

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

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

blazenounUS /bleɪz/

a strong flame that burns brightly

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

cheerfuladjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪrfəl/

being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

churchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

coachingnounUS /ˈkoʊtʃɪŋ/

the job of a professional coach

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

ednounUS /ed/

impotence resulting from a man's inability to have or maintain an erection of his penis

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

endedadjectiveUS /ˈendəd/

having come or been brought to a conclusion

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

expectingverbUS /ɪkˈspektɪŋ/

-ing form of “expect” — regard something as probable or likely

From this reading I’m therefore expecting to reap what I’ve sow_ed_, And go straight to heaven from Bettws-y-Co_ed_.’”

extraadjectiveUS /ˈekstrə/

more than is needed, desired, or required

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

frequentlyadverbUS /ˈfriːkwəntli/

many times at short intervals

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I’m therefore expecting to reap what I’ve sow_ed_, And go straight to heaven from Bettws-y-Co_ed_.’”

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

GoatnounUS /ɡoʊt/

any of numerous agile ruminants related to sheep but having a beard and straight horns

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

heavennounUS /ˈhevən/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading I’m therefore expecting to reap what I’ve sow_ed_, And go straight to heaven from Bettws-y-Co_ed_.’”

HereadverbUS /hiːr/

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

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

honounUS /hoʊ/

a trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; occurs together with yttrium; forms highly magnetic compounds

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

I'm

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

From this reading I’m therefore expecting to reap what I’ve sow_ed_, And go straight to heaven from Bettws-y-Co_ed_.’”

I've

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

From this reading I’m therefore expecting to reap what I’ve sow_ed_, And go straight to heaven from Bettws-y-Co_ed_.’”

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

journeyverbUS /ˈdʒɜːrni/

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

lapverbUS /læp/

lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

lettersnounUS /ˈletərz/

the literary culture

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

liesnounUS /laɪz/

plural of “lie” — a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

likewiseadverbUS /ˈlaɪkwaɪz/

in like or similar manner

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

makingnounUS /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/

the act that results in something coming to be

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

nearlyadverbUS /ˈnɪrli/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

portfolionounUS /pɔːrtˈfoʊlioʊ/

a large, flat, thin case for carrying loose papers or drawings or maps; usually leather

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

postverbUS /poʊst/

affix in a public place or for public notice

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

reapverbUS /riːp/

gather, as of natural products

From this reading I’m therefore expecting to reap what I’ve sow_ed_, And go straight to heaven from Bettws-y-Co_ed_.’”

rownounUS /roʊ/

an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

RoyaladjectiveUS /ˈrɔɪəl/

of or relating to or indicative of or issued or performed by a king or queen or other monarch

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

seatedadjectiveUS /ˈsiːtɪd/

(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

sixpencenoun

a small coin of the United Kingdom worth six pennies; not minted since 1970

From this reading We were seated about the cheerful blaze (one and sixpence extra), portfolio in lap, making ready our letters for the post.

sowverbUS /saʊ/

place (seeds) in or on the ground for future growth

From this reading I’m therefore expecting to reap what I’ve sow_ed_, And go straight to heaven from Bettws-y-Co_ed_.’”

stagenounUS /steɪdʒ/

any distinct time period in a sequence of events

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

stoppingnounUS /ˈstɑːpɪŋ/

fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

straightadjectiveUS /streɪt/

successive (without a break)

From this reading I’m therefore expecting to reap what I’ve sow_ed_, And go straight to heaven from Bettws-y-Co_ed_.’”

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading I’m therefore expecting to reap what I’ve sow_ed_, And go straight to heaven from Bettws-y-Co_ed_.’”

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

tournounUS /tʊr/

a journey or route all the way around a particular place or area

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

water-mark

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

From this reading She frequently said: ‘My own row have I ho_ed_, And likewise the church water-mark have I to_ed_.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading I’m therefore expecting to reap what I’ve sow_ed_, And go straight to heaven from Bettws-y-Co_ed_.’”

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading At another stage of our journey, when the coaching tour was nearly ended, we were stopping at the Royal Goat at Beddgelert.

WhereverconjunctionUS /weˈrevər/

in or to any place at all

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading “Here lies an old woman of Bettws-y-Co_ed_; Wherever she went, it was there that she go_ed_.

Chapter 5 of Penelope's Postscripts by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin holds 158 sentences, grouped into 32 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 5 of Penelope's Postscripts contain?

Chapter 5 holds 158 sentences of Penelope's Postscripts, unabridged, divided into 32 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Penelope's Postscripts by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 158 sentences, grouped into 32 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 5 of Penelope's Postscripts?

Work through the 32 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 32 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Postscripts

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

Is this the complete text of Penelope's Postscripts?

Yes. All 1225 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1868 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Penelope's Postscripts is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1868, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Penelope's Postscripts take to read?

About 102 minutes of reading across 245 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Penelope's Postscripts section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 8 chapters of Penelope's Postscripts 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 Postscripts

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

Douglas
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Penelope's Postscripts; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wiggin
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Penelope's Postscripts; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Penelope's Postscripts; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Penelope
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Penelope's Postscripts; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.