Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Poor Miss Finch
Poor Miss Finch

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of Poor Miss Finch is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Wilkie Collins • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Poor Miss Finch
Context Illustration Reading 1/82 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I lifted my hands and eyes in astonishment.
Nugent went on.
"I see you want to know how it has all come about.
You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.
I found him waiting out here, dreadfully agitated.
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.

Poor Miss Finch

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of Poor Miss Finch is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I lifted my hands and eyes in astonishment.
/aɪ ˈlɪftəd maɪ hændz ənd aɪz ɪn əˈstɑːnɪʃmənt/
Line 2
Nugent went on.
Line 3
"I see you want to know how it has all come about.
Line 4
You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.
Line 5
I found him waiting out here, dreadfully agitated.
/aɪ faʊnd hɪm ˈweɪtɪŋ aʊt hiːr ˈdredfəli ˈædʒəteɪtɪd/

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.

agitated adjective US /ˈædʒəteɪtɪd/

troubled emotionally and usually deeply

From this reading “I found him waiting out here, dreadfully agitated.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
astonishment noun US /əˈstɑːnɪʃmənt/

the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising

From this reading “I lifted my hands and eyes in astonishment.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dreadfully adverb US /ˈdredfəli/

of a dreadful kind

From this reading “I found him waiting out here, dreadfully agitated.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
entreating verb US /enˈtriːtɪŋ/

-ing form of “entreat” — ask for or request earnestly

From this reading “You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Oscar's noun US /ˈɔːskərz/

possessive form of “oscar” — an annual award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for achievements in motion picture production and performance

From this reading “You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pencil noun US /ˈpensəl/

a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in wood

From this reading “You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stable adjective US /ˈsteɪbəl/

resistant to change of position or condition

From this reading “You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
studio noun US /ˈstuːdioʊ/

workplace for the teaching or practice of an art

From this reading “You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 55

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 You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading "I see you want to know how it has all come about.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
agitatedadjectiveUS /ˈædʒəteɪtɪd/

troubled emotionally and usually deeply

From this reading I found him waiting out here, dreadfully agitated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
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 "I see you want to know how it has all come about.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I lifted my hands and eyes in astonishment.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
astonishmentnounUS /əˈstɑːnɪʃmənt/

the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising

From this reading I lifted my hands and eyes in astonishment.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

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

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Browndown

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

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

Pending verification
comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading "I see you want to know how it has all come about.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
directlyadverbUS /dərˈektli/

without deviation

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dreadfullyadverbUS /ˈdredfəli/

of a dreadful kind

From this reading I found him waiting out here, dreadfully agitated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
entreatingverbUS /enˈtriːtɪŋ/

-ing form of “entreat” — ask for or request earnestly

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading I lifted my hands and eyes in astonishment.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading I found him waiting out here, dreadfully agitated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading I lifted my hands and eyes in astonishment.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading "I see you want to know how it has all come about.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hereadverbUS /hiːr/

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

From this reading I found him waiting out here, dreadfully agitated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
how

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

From this reading "I see you want to know how it has all come about.

Pending verification
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I lifted my hands and eyes in astonishment.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I lifted my hands and eyes in astonishment.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
isn't

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

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

Pending verification
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "I see you want to know how it has all come about.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading "I see you want to know how it has all come about.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
liftedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪftəd/

held up in the air

From this reading I lifted my hands and eyes in astonishment.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I lifted my hands and eyes in astonishment.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notenounUS /noʊt/

a brief written record

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Nugent

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

From this reading Nugent went on.

Pending verification
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Nugent went on.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Oscar'snounUS /ˈɔːskərz/

possessive form of “oscar” — an annual award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for achievements in motion picture production and performance

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading I found him waiting out here, dreadfully agitated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pencilnounUS /ˈpensəl/

a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in wood

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading "I see you want to know how it has all come about.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
servantnounUS /ˈsɜːrvənt/

a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
stableadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪbəl/

resistant to change of position or condition

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
studionounUS /ˈstuːdioʊ/

workplace for the teaching or practice of an art

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "I see you want to know how it has all come about.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading I found him waiting out here, dreadfully agitated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading "I see you want to know how it has all come about.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wentverbUS /went/

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

From this reading Nugent went on.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading You shall know.--While I was looking at the stable (it isn't half big enough for a studio for Me!), Oscar's servant brought me a little pencil note, entreating me, in Oscar's name, to go to him directly at Browndown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "I see you want to know how it has all come about.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 11 of Poor Miss Finch by Wilkie Collins holds 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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 11 of Poor Miss Finch contain?

Chapter 11 holds 412 sentences of Poor Miss Finch, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 11 of Poor Miss Finch by Wilkie Collins exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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 11 of Poor Miss Finch?

Work through the 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 83 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 11 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 11 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 Poor Miss Finch

Common questions about reading Poor Miss Finch by Wilkie Collins on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Poor Miss Finch?

Yes. All 11370 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3632 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Poor Miss Finch is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3632, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Poor Miss Finch take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2274 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Poor Miss Finch section by section

How to work through Poor Miss Finch section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 28 chapters of Poor Miss Finch 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 Poor Miss Finch

Words and structures a reader meets early in Poor Miss Finch, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Deanery
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poor Miss Finch; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bristol
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poor Miss Finch; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Honor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poor Miss Finch; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Accepting
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Poor Miss Finch; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.