Chapter 2 of Renshaw Fanning's Quest is here in full — 396 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Renshaw Fanning's Quest is here in full — 396 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing. "Ha, ha, ha! Oh, wise Marian. The post, indeed! You should see the cartload of astonishing effusions I get.
Chapter 2 of Renshaw Fanning's Quest is here in full — 396 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/79 · 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.
surprising greatly
From this reading “You should see the cartload of astonishing effusions I get.”
past form of “banter” — be silly or tease one another
From this reading “A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.”
of or relating to or venerating the Virgin Mary
From this reading “Oh, wise Marian.”
a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses
From this reading “A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.”
a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading “A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.”
joining or attaching by stitches
From this reading “A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.”
someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
From this reading “A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.”
in the nature of something though not readily apparent
From this reading “A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.”
In this reading “A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.”
seek information from
In this reading “A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
surprising greatly
From this reading You should see the cartload of astonishing effusions I get.
past form of “banter” — be silly or tease one another
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
the quantity that a cart holds
From this reading You should see the cartload of astonishing effusions I get.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
the appearance conveyed by a person's face
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You should see the cartload of astonishing effusions I get.
having escaped, especially from confinement
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading You should see the cartload of astonishing effusions I get.
(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, ha, ha!
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
cause to move by striking
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading You should see the cartload of astonishing effusions I get.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading The post, indeed!
free from evil or guilt
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
of or relating to or venerating the Virgin Mary
From this reading Oh, wise Marian.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading Oh, wise Marian.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
affix in a public place or for public notice
From this reading The post, indeed!
a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading You should see the cartload of astonishing effusions I get.
joining or attaching by stitches
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading You should see the cartload of astonishing effusions I get.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
in or at that place or location
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
in the nature of something though not readily apparent
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading A close observer, watching the countenance of her thus bantered, might have thought there was a hit underlying this perfectly innocent remark, but if so it escaped the speaker, for she never looked up from her sewing.
having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading Oh, wise Marian.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You should see the cartload of astonishing effusions I get.
Chapter 2 of Renshaw Fanning's Quest by Bertram Mitford holds 396 sentences, grouped into 80 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.
Chapter 2 holds 396 sentences of Renshaw Fanning's Quest, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Renshaw Fanning's Quest by Bertram Mitford exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 396 sentences, grouped into 80 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 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 80 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.
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About 404 minutes of reading across 972 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
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Words and structures a reader meets early in Renshaw Fanning's Quest, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
