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Round the Sofa
Round the Sofa

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of Round the Sofa is here in full — 188 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/37 · 5 lines
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In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.
To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.
It was, indeed, more than not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.
On the contrary, Susan exerted herself to avoid change and variety.
She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Round the Sofa

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of Round the Sofa is here in full — 188 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.
Line 2
To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.
/tuː biː ʃʊr ʃiː maɪt hæv meɪd tʃeɪndʒ fɔːr hərˈself bʌt ʃiː dɪd nɑːt ker tuː duː ɪt/
Line 3
It was, indeed, more thannot caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.
Line 4
On the contrary, Susan exerted herself to avoid change and variety.
Line 5
She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.
/ʃiː hæd ə ˈmɔːrbəd dred ʌv nuː ˈfeɪsəz wɪtʃ ərˈɪdʒəneɪtəd ɪn hɜːr dɪˈzaɪər tuː kiːp puːr ded ˈwɪliz steɪt ə proʊˈfaʊnd ˈsiː.krət/

Learner Dictionary

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.

exerted verb US /ɪɡˈzɜːrtɪd/

past form of “exert” — put to use

From this reading “On the contrary, Susan exerted herself to avoid change and variety.”

implies verb US /ˌɪmˈplaɪz/

third-person singular of “imply” — express or state indirectly

From this reading “It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.”

originated verb US /ərˈɪdʒəneɪtəd/

past form of “originate” — come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading “She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.”

requisite noun US /ˈrekwəzət/

anything indispensable

From this reading “It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.”

uncoiled adjective US /ˌʌnˈkɔɪld/

no longer coiled

From this reading “In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.”

vis noun US /vɪs/

plural of “vi” — the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

wearisome adjective US /ˈwɪrisəm/

so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness

From this reading “In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.”

Willie's noun US /ˈwɪliz/

possessive form of “willies” — feelings of uneasiness

All words in this reading · 86

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

attainedadjectiveUS /əˈteɪnd/

achieved or reached

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

avoidverbUS /əˈvɔɪd/

stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something

From this reading On the contrary, Susan exerted herself to avoid change and variety.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

carenounUS /ker/

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.

caringnounUS /ˈkerɪŋ/

a loving feeling

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.

circlesnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəlz/

plural of “circle” — ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

contraryadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːntreri/

very opposed in nature or character or purpose

From this reading On the contrary, Susan exerted herself to avoid change and variety.

deadadjectiveUS /ded/

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

degreenounUS /dɪˈɡriː/

a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

desirenounUS /dɪˈzaɪər/

the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

dreadnounUS /dred/

fearful expectation or anticipation

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

endlessadjectiveUS /ˈendləs/

tiresomely long; seemingly without end

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

energynounUS /ˈenərdʒi/

(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

exertedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɜːrtɪd/

past form of “exert” — put to use

From this reading On the contrary, Susan exerted herself to avoid change and variety.

facesnounUS /ˈfeɪsəz/

plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.

impliesverbUS /ˌɪmˈplaɪz/

third-person singular of “imply” — express or state indirectly

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

importancenounUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtəns/

the quality of being important and worthy of note

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

inertiæ

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

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

keepverbUS /kiːp/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.

merelyadverbUS /ˈmɪrli/

and nothing more

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.

monotonousadjectiveUS /məˈnɑːtənəs/

tediously repetitious or lacking in variety

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

morbidadjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrbəd/

suggesting an unhealthy mental state

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

objectnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekt/

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the contrary, Susan exerted herself to avoid change and variety.

originatedverbUS /ərˈɪdʒəneɪtəd/

past form of “originate” — come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

Peggy's

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

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

pooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

profoundadjectiveUS /proʊˈfaʊnd/

showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

prophecynounUS /ˈprɒf.ə.si/

A prediction of what will happen in the future, often divinely or magically inspired.

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

requisitenounUS /ˈrekwəzət/

anything indispensable

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

slowlyadverbUS /ˈsloʊli/

without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

spitenounUS /spaɪt/

feeling a need to see others suffer

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

statenounUS /steɪt/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

subduedadjectiveUS /səbˈduːd/

in a softened tone

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

sufficientadjectiveUS /səˈfɪʃənt/

of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.

Susan

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

From this reading On the contrary, Susan exerted herself to avoid change and variety.

Susan's

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

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading To be sure, she might have made change for herself, but she did not care to do it.

uncoiledadjectiveUS /ˌʌnˈkɔɪld/

no longer coiled

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

varietynounUS /vərˈaɪəti/

a collection containing a variety of sorts of things

From this reading On the contrary, Susan exerted herself to avoid change and variety.

visnounUS /vɪs/

plural of “vi” — the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

wearisomeadjectiveUS /ˈwɪrisəm/

so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading It was, indeed, more than “not caring,” which merely implies a certain degree of _vis inertiæ_ to be subdued before an object can be attained, and that the object itself does not seem to be of sufficient importance to call out the requisite energy.

Willie'snounUS /ˈwɪliz/

possessive form of “willies” — feelings of uneasiness

From this reading She had a morbid dread of new faces, which originated in her desire to keep poor dead Willie’s state a profound secret.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading In spite of Peggy’s prophecy that Susan’s life should not seem long, it did seem wearisome and endless, as the years slowly uncoiled their monotonous circles.

Chapter 21 of Round the Sofa by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell holds 188 sentences, grouped into 38 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.

What does chapter 21 of Round the Sofa contain?

Chapter 21 holds 188 sentences of Round the Sofa, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of Round the Sofa by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 188 sentences, grouped into 38 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.

How do I study chapter 21 of Round the Sofa?

Work through the 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 38 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.

Can chapter 21 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading Round the Sofa

Common questions about reading Round the Sofa by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Round the Sofa?

Yes. All 5853 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2533 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Round the Sofa is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2533, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Round the Sofa take to read?

About 487 minutes of reading across 1171 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Round the Sofa section by section

How to work through Round the Sofa section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of Round the Sofa to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Round the Sofa

Words and structures a reader meets early in Round the Sofa, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Woman
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Round the Sofa; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Things
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Round the Sofa; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Different
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Round the Sofa; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Youth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Round the Sofa; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.