Chapter 21 of Ramona is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXI
Chapter 21 of Ramona is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Ramona laughed. “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets? I did not think then I would use it so soon. But it hurts my forehead, Alessandro. It isn't the weight, but the strings cut.
Chapter 21 of Ramona is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/47 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
plural of “back” — the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
From this reading ““Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?”
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading “But it hurts my forehead, Alessandro.”
plural of “hurt” — any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
From this reading “But it hurts my forehead, Alessandro.”
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading ““Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?”
plural of “net” — a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange
From this reading ““Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?”
shrubby plant with aromatic greyish-green leaves used as a cooking herb
From this reading “Ramona laughed.”
the section of an orchestra that plays stringed instruments
From this reading “It isn't the weight, but the strings cut.”
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading “It isn't the weight, but the strings cut.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But it hurts my forehead, Alessandro.
plural of “back” — the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it hurts my forehead, Alessandro.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading It isn't the weight, but the strings cut.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading I did not think then I would use it so soon.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading But it hurts my forehead, Alessandro.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
plural of “hurt” — any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
From this reading But it hurts my forehead, Alessandro.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I did not think then I would use it so soon.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It isn't the weight, but the strings cut.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I did not think then I would use it so soon.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading Ramona laughed.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
to a great degree or extent
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading But it hurts my forehead, Alessandro.
plural of “net” — a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I did not think then I would use it so soon.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
shrubby plant with aromatic greyish-green leaves used as a cooking herb
From this reading Ramona laughed.
To recall to mind.
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
in the near future
From this reading I did not think then I would use it so soon.
the section of an orchestra that plays stringed instruments
From this reading It isn't the weight, but the strings cut.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading I did not think then I would use it so soon.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading I did not think then I would use it so soon.
the act of using
From this reading I did not think then I would use it so soon.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading It isn't the weight, but the strings cut.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I did not think then I would use it so soon.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Do you remember the day you showed me how the Indian women carried so much on their backs, in these nets?
Chapter 21 of Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson holds 236 sentences, grouped into 48 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.
Chapter 21 holds 236 sentences of Ramona, unabridged, divided into 48 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 21 of Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 236 sentences, grouped into 48 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.
Work through the 48 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 48 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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.
Common questions about reading Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 9310 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2802 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #2802, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1862 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Ramona section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Ramona to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Ramona, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
