Chapter 8 of Rookwood is here in full — 411 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of Rookwood is here in full — 411 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"With what?" asked Mrs. Mowbray, in surprise. "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes." "Indeed!" exclaimed Mrs. Mowbray. "Does it relate to your mother?" "Excuse my answering the question now, madam," replied Ranulph; "you shall know all to-morrow."
Chapter 8 of Rookwood is here in full — 411 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 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.
have an effect upon
From this reading “"A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."”
replying
From this reading “"Excuse my answering the question now, madam," replied Ranulph; "you shall know all to-morrow."”
something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading “"A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."”
plural of “fortune” — an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading “"A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."”
with respect to material aspects
From this reading “"A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."”
lacking clarity of meaning; causing confusion or perplexity
From this reading “"A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."”
make a logical or causal connection
From this reading “"Does it relate to your mother?"”
unusual or striking
From this reading “"A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."”
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 singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
have an effect upon
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
(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 "Excuse my answering the question now, madam," replied Ranulph; "you shall know all to-morrow."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
replying
From this reading "Excuse my answering the question now, madam," replied Ranulph; "you shall know all to-morrow."
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "With what?" asked Mrs. Mowbray, in surprise.
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Does it relate to your mother?"
something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading "Indeed!" exclaimed Mrs. Mowbray.
accept an excuse for
From this reading "Excuse my answering the question now, madam," replied Ranulph; "you shall know all to-morrow."
plural of “fortune” — an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
yet to be or coming
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "With what?" asked Mrs. Mowbray, in surprise.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading "Indeed!" exclaimed Mrs. Mowbray.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Does it relate to your mother?"
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "Excuse my answering the question now, madam," replied Ranulph; "you shall know all to-morrow."
a woman of refinement
From this reading "Excuse my answering the question now, madam," replied Ranulph; "you shall know all to-morrow."
with respect to material aspects
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
used to form the superlative
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading "Does it relate to your mother?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "With what?" asked Mrs. Mowbray, in surprise.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading "With what?" asked Mrs. Mowbray, in surprise.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Excuse my answering the question now, madam," replied Ranulph; "you shall know all to-morrow."
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
lacking clarity of meaning; causing confusion or perplexity
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading "Excuse my answering the question now, madam," replied Ranulph; "you shall know all to-morrow."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
make a logical or causal connection
From this reading "Does it relate to your mother?"
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading "Excuse my answering the question now, madam," replied Ranulph; "you shall know all to-morrow."
unusual or striking
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading "With what?" asked Mrs. Mowbray, in surprise.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Excuse my answering the question now, madam," replied Ranulph; "you shall know all to-morrow."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Excuse my answering the question now, madam," replied Ranulph; "you shall know all to-morrow."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "With what?" asked Mrs. Mowbray, in surprise.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "A singular, and to me most perplexing event has occurred to-night," replied Ranulph, "which may materially affect my future fortunes."
in the company of; together with
From this reading "With what?" asked Mrs. Mowbray, in surprise.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Excuse my answering the question now, madam," replied Ranulph; "you shall know all to-morrow."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Does it relate to your mother?"
Chapter 8 of Rookwood by William Harrison Ainsworth holds 411 sentences, grouped into 83 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 8 holds 411 sentences of Rookwood, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of Rookwood by William Harrison Ainsworth exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 411 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.
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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Rookwood by William Harrison Ainsworth on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 9403 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #23564 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #23564, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1881 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Rookwood section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 23 chapters of Rookwood 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 Rookwood, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
