Chapter 3 of Romola is here in full — 49 sentences across 10 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Romola is here in full — 49 sentences across 10 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
First Impressions. “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other. “You come as opportunely as cheese on macaroni. Ah! you are in haste—wish to be shaved without delay—ecco! And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
Chapter 3 of Romola is here in full — 49 sentences across 10 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/9 · 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.
a solid food prepared from the pressed curd of milk
From this reading ““You come as opportunely as cheese on macaroni.”
cause to be slowed down or delayed
From this reading “Ah! you are in haste—wish to be shaved without delay—ecco!”
ranking above all others
From this reading ““Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.”
plural of “impression” — a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading “First Impressions.”
a British dandy in the 18th century who affected Continental mannerisms
From this reading ““You come as opportunely as cheese on macaroni.”
having the beard or hair cut off close to the skin
From this reading “Ah! you are in haste—wish to be shaved without delay—ecco!”
without speaking
From this reading ““Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.”
plural of “visitor” — someone who visits
From this reading ““Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.”
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 And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ah! you are in haste—wish to be shaved without delay—ecco!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Ah! you are in haste—wish to be shaved without delay—ecco!
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “You come as opportunely as cheese on macaroni.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Ah! you are in haste—wish to be shaved without delay—ecco!
a solid food prepared from the pressed curd of milk
From this reading “You come as opportunely as cheese on macaroni.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading “You come as opportunely as cheese on macaroni.
cause to be slowed down or delayed
From this reading Ah! you are in haste—wish to be shaved without delay—ecco!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ah! you are in haste—wish to be shaved without delay—ecco!
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading First Impressions.
ranking above all others
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
death of a person
From this reading And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
From this reading Ah! you are in haste—wish to be shaved without delay—ecco!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
plural of “impression” — a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading First Impressions.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Ah! you are in haste—wish to be shaved without delay—ecco!
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
a British dandy in the 18th century who affected Continental mannerisms
From this reading “You come as opportunely as cheese on macaroni.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “You come as opportunely as cheese on macaroni.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
at an opportune time
From this reading “You come as opportunely as cheese on macaroni.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
having the beard or hair cut off close to the skin
From this reading Ah! you are in haste—wish to be shaved without delay—ecco!
do one's shopping
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
without speaking
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
plural of “visitor” — someone who visits
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
at the time that
From this reading And this is a morning when every one has grave matter on his mind.
during the time that
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
which person or people
From this reading “Good-day, Messer Domenico,” said Nello to the foremost of the two visitors who entered the shop, while he nodded silently to the other.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading Ah! you are in haste—wish to be shaved without delay—ecco!
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Ah! you are in haste—wish to be shaved without delay—ecco!
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You come as opportunely as cheese on macaroni.
Chapter 3 of Romola by George Eliot holds 49 sentences, grouped into 10 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 3 holds 49 sentences of Romola, unabridged, divided into 10 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Romola by George Eliot exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 49 sentences, grouped into 10 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 10 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 10 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 3 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 Romola by George Eliot on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 8581 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24020 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #24020, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1717 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Romola section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Romola 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 Romola, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
