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Round the Sofa
Round the Sofa

Chapter XIX

Cover illustration for Round the Sofa
Context Illustration Reading 1/49 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
After the stun of the blow came the realization of the consequences.
Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.
She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.
Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.
As for marriage in this state of uncertainty, she had no heart to think of it.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Round the Sofa

Chapter XIX

Reading 1/49 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
After the stun of the blow came the realization of the consequences.
Line 2
Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.
Line 3
She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.
Line 4
Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.
Line 5
As for marriage in this state of uncertainty, she had no heart to think of it.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “After the stun of the blow came the realization of the consequences.”

Again noun US /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.”

Let auxiliary verb US /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading “She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.”

Mind noun US /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “As for marriage in this state of uncertainty, she had no heart to think of it.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.”

Until preposition US /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.”

All words in this reading · 84

Every word is available to listen to. 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 Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading After the stun of the blow came the realization of the consequences.

againnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading As for marriage in this state of uncertainty, she had no heart to think of it.

attention

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

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

back

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

bit

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

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

blow

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

From this reading After the stun of the blow came the realization of the consequences.

bring

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

brother's

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

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

came

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

From this reading After the stun of the blow came the realization of the consequences.

catch

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

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

chance

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

complained

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

consciousness

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

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

consequences

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

From this reading After the stun of the blow came the realization of the consequences.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

eye

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

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

fragments

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

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

go

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

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

heart

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

From this reading As for marriage in this state of uncertainty, she had no heart to think of it.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

hours

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

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading As for marriage in this state of uncertainty, she had no heart to think of it.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

lost

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

marriage

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

From this reading As for marriage in this state of uncertainty, she had no heart to think of it.

Michael

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

mindnounUS /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

minute

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading As for marriage in this state of uncertainty, she had no heart to think of it.

now

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading After the stun of the blow came the realization of the consequences.

only

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

patiently

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

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

piece

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

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

play

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

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

pursue

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

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

realization

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

From this reading After the stun of the blow came the realization of the consequences.

recall

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

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

recollection

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

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

resume

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

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

said

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

self-imposed

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

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

senseless

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

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

sit

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

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

some

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

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

spend

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

state

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

From this reading As for marriage in this state of uncertainty, she had no heart to think of it.

stun

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

From this reading After the stun of the blow came the realization of the consequences.

Susan

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

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

task

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

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading After the stun of the blow came the realization of the consequences.

there

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading As for marriage in this state of uncertainty, she had no heart to think of it.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading As for marriage in this state of uncertainty, she had no heart to think of it.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

together

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

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

try

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

trying

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

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

uncertainty

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

From this reading As for marriage in this state of uncertainty, she had no heart to think of it.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

wait

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

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading She would let him go and pursue some senseless bit of play, and wait until she could catch his eye or his attention again, when she would resume her self-imposed task.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

wits

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

word

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

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Susan would sit for hours trying patiently to recall and piece together fragments of recollection and consciousness in her brother’s mind.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Michael complained that she never had a word for him, or a minute of time to spend with him now; but she only said she must try, while there was yet a chance, to bring back her brother’s lost wits.