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Queechy
Queechy

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Queechy is here in full — 767 sentences across 154 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Queechy
Context Illustration Reading 1/153 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?
Ha' you mark'd but the fall o' the snow, Before the soil hath smutch'd it?
Ben Jonson.
Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.
By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.
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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.

Queechy

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Queechy is here in full — 767 sentences across 154 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/153 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?
Line 2
Ha' you mark'd but the fall o' the snow, Before the soil hath smutch'd it?
Line 3
Ben Jonson.
/ben ˈdʒɑːnsən/
Line 4
Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.
Line 5
By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

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.

airy adjective US /ˈeri/

open to or abounding in fresh air

From this reading “Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.”

child's noun US /tʃaɪldz/

possessive form of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading “Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.”

Jonson noun US /ˈdʒɑːnsən/

English dramatist and poet who was the first real poet laureate of England (1572-1637)

From this reading “Ben Jonson.”

lily noun US /ˈlɪli/

any liliaceous plant of the genus Lilium having showy pendulous flowers

From this reading “Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?”

par noun US /pɑːr/

(golf) the standard number of strokes set for each hole on a golf course, or for the entire course

From this reading “By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.”

ray noun US /reɪ/

a column of light (as from a beacon)

From this reading “Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.”

soil noun US /sɔɪl/

the state of being covered with unclean things

From this reading “Ha' you mark'd but the fall o' the snow, Before the soil hath smutch'd it?”

spiritual adjective US /ˈspɪrɪtʃuːəl/

concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church

From this reading “Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.”

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 Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

airyadjectiveUS /ˈeri/

open to or abounding in fresh air

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?

BennounUS /ben/

a mountain or tall hill

From this reading Ben Jonson.

brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

child'snounUS /tʃaɪldz/

possessive form of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

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

From this reading By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

enterverbUS /ˈentər/

to come or go into

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

fallverbUS /fɔːl/

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading Ha' you mark'd but the fall o' the snow, Before the soil hath smutch'd it?

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

Fleda's

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

From this reading By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

futureadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtʃər/

yet to be or coming

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

growverbUS /ɡroʊ/

pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?

HanounUS /hɑː/

(astronomy) the angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing; the right ascension for an observer at a particular location and time of day

From this reading Ha' you mark'd but the fall o' the snow, Before the soil hath smutch'd it?

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 Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?

hathauxiliary verbUS /hæθ/

an old form of “has”

From this reading Ha' you mark'd but the fall o' the snow, Before the soil hath smutch'd it?

Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?

JonsonnounUS /ˈdʒɑːnsən/

English dramatist and poet who was the first real poet laureate of England (1572-1637)

From this reading Ben Jonson.

lessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

lilynounUS /ˈlɪli/

any liliaceous plant of the genus Lilium having showy pendulous flowers

From this reading Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?

mark'd

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

From this reading Ha' you mark'd but the fall o' the snow, Before the soil hath smutch'd it?

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

onounUS /oʊ/

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading Ha' you mark'd but the fall o' the snow, Before the soil hath smutch'd it?

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

parnounUS /pɑːr/

(golf) the standard number of strokes set for each hole on a golf course, or for the entire course

From this reading By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

raynounUS /reɪ/

a column of light (as from a beacon)

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

rudeadjectiveUS /ruːd/

socially incorrect in behavior

From this reading Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?

smutch'd

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

From this reading Ha' you mark'd but the fall o' the snow, Before the soil hath smutch'd it?

snownounUS /snoʊ/

precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals

From this reading Ha' you mark'd but the fall o' the snow, Before the soil hath smutch'd it?

soilnounUS /sɔɪl/

the state of being covered with unclean things

From this reading Ha' you mark'd but the fall o' the snow, Before the soil hath smutch'd it?

spiritsnounUS /ˈspɪrɪts/

an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented

From this reading By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

spiritualadjectiveUS /ˈspɪrɪtʃuːəl/

concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Ha' you mark'd but the fall o' the snow, Before the soil hath smutch'd it?

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

touch'd

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

From this reading Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?

travelverbUS /ˈtrævəl/

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

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading By the time they reached their own door Fleda's spirits were at par again.

WhereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Where a ray of light can enter the future, a child's hope can find a way--a way that nothing less airy and spiritual can travel.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Have you seen but a bright lily grow, Before rude hands have touch'd it?

Chapter 2 of Queechy by Susan Warner holds 767 sentences, grouped into 154 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 2 of Queechy contain?

Chapter 2 holds 767 sentences of Queechy, unabridged, divided into 154 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Queechy by Susan Warner exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 767 sentences, grouped into 154 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 2 of Queechy?

Work through the 154 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 154 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Queechy

Common questions about reading Queechy by Susan Warner on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Queechy?

Yes. All 14399 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8874 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Queechy is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #8874, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Queechy take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2880 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Queechy section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Queechy 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 Queechy

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

Single
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Queechy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cloud
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Queechy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sunny
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Queechy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Heaven
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Queechy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.