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Somehow Good
Somehow Good

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of Somehow Good is here in full — 280 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/56 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
SALLY'S LARK.
AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.
She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.
Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.
He sometimes came down to breakfast, but such a dissipation as yesterday put it out of the question on this particular morning.
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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.

Somehow Good

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of Somehow Good is here in full — 280 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/56 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
SALLY'S LARK.
/ˈsæliz lɑːrk/
Line 2
AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.
Line 3
She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.
/ʃiː wɑːz æn ˈɑːptəmɪst ˌkɑːnstəˈtuːʃənəli fɔːr ɪt ɪz ˈɑːptəmɪzəm tuː ˌdɪˈsaɪd ðæt ɪt ɪz ˈræðər ə lɑːrk tuː ˈbrekfəst baɪ jərˈself wen juː hæv dʒʌst draɪd ðə terz juː hæv bɪn ˈʃedɪŋ ˈoʊvər ðə lɔːs ʌv jɔːr ˈmɔːrnɪŋ kəmˈpænjən/
Line 4
Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.
Line 5
He sometimes came down to breakfast, but such a dissipation as yesterday put it out of the question on this particular morning.
/hiː səmˈtaɪmz keɪm daʊn tuː ˈbrekfəst bʌt sʌtʃ ə ˌdɪsɪˈpeɪʃən æz ˈjestərdeɪ pʊt ɪt aʊt ʌv ðə ˈkwestʃən ɑːn ðɪs pərˈtɪkjələr ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

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.

adviser noun US /ædˈvaɪzər/

an expert who gives advice

From this reading “AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.”

constitutionally adverb US /ˌkɑːnstəˈtuːʃənəli/

according to the constitution

From this reading “She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.”

dissipation noun US /ˌdɪsɪˈpeɪʃən/

breaking up and scattering by dispersion

From this reading “He sometimes came down to breakfast, but such a dissipation as yesterday put it out of the question on this particular morning.”

fossil noun US /ˈfɑːsəl/

someone whose style is out of fashion

From this reading “AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.”

optimism noun US /ˈɑːptəmɪzəm/

the optimistic feeling that all is going to turn out well

From this reading “She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.”

optimist noun US /ˈɑːptəmɪst/

a person disposed to take a favorable view of things

From this reading “She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.”

reticent adjective US /ˈretɪsənt/

temperamentally disinclined to talk

From this reading “AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.”

sally's noun US /ˈsæliz/

possessive form of “sally” — witty remark

From this reading “SALLY'S LARK.”

All words in this reading · 95

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 She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

advantagesnounUS /ædˈvæntɪdʒɪz/

plural of “advantage” — the quality of having a superior or more favorable position

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

ADVISERnounUS /ædˈvaɪzər/

an expert who gives advice

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

AFTERprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/

possessing life

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

awokeverbUS /əˈwoʊk/

inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

belovedadjectiveUS /bɪˈlʌvd/

dearly loved

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

breakfastverbUS /ˈbrekfəst/

eat an early morning meal

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

coffeenounUS /ˈkɑːfi/

a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

companionnounUS /kəmˈpænjən/

a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

completeverbUS /kəmˈpliːt/

come or bring to a finish or an end

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

conclusionnounUS /kənˈkluːʒən/

a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

CONFIDENCEnounUS /ˈkɑːnfədəns/

freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

constitutionallyadverbUS /ˌkɑːnstəˈtuːʃənəli/

according to the constitution

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

criedverbUS /kraɪd/

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

decideverbUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪd/

reach, make, or come to a decision about something

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

despatching

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

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

dissipationnounUS /ˌdɪsɪˈpeɪʃən/

breaking up and scattering by dispersion

From this reading He sometimes came down to breakfast, but such a dissipation as yesterday put it out of the question on this particular morning.

DIVINEadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaɪn/

emanating from God

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading He sometimes came down to breakfast, but such a dissipation as yesterday put it out of the question on this particular morning.

driedadjectiveUS /draɪd/

not still wet

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

fossilnounUS /ˈfɑːsəl/

someone whose style is out of fashion

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He sometimes came down to breakfast, but such a dissipation as yesterday put it out of the question on this particular morning.

HERdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

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

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

HOW

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

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

independencenounUS /ˌɪndɪˈpendəns/

freedom from control or influence of another or others

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

interviewverbUS /ˈɪntərvjuː/

conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

INTOprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

LARKnounUS /lɑːrk/

North American songbirds having a yellow breast

From this reading SALLY'S LARK.

lossnounUS /lɔːs/

something that is lost

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

MajoradjectiveUS /ˈmeɪdʒər/

of greater importance or stature or rank

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

MEDICALadjectiveUS /ˈmedəkəl/

relating to the study or practice of medicine

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

mistressnounUS /ˈmɪstrəs/

an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

neverthelessadverbUS /ˌnevərðəˈles/

in spite of what has just been said

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He sometimes came down to breakfast, but such a dissipation as yesterday put it out of the question on this particular morning.

optimismnounUS /ˈɑːptəmɪzəm/

the optimistic feeling that all is going to turn out well

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

optimistnounUS /ˈɑːptəmɪst/

a person disposed to take a favorable view of things

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

particularadjectiveUS /pərˈtɪkjələr/

unique or specific to a person or thing or category

From this reading He sometimes came down to breakfast, but such a dissipation as yesterday put it out of the question on this particular morning.

pouredverbUS /pɔːrd/

past form of “pour” — cause to run

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading He sometimes came down to breakfast, but such a dissipation as yesterday put it out of the question on this particular morning.

questionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading He sometimes came down to breakfast, but such a dissipation as yesterday put it out of the question on this particular morning.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

reticentadjectiveUS /ˈretɪsənt/

temperamentally disinclined to talk

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

SallynounUS /ˈsæli/

witty remark

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

SALLY'SnounUS /ˈsæliz/

possessive form of “sally” — witty remark

From this reading SALLY'S LARK.

SERVICEnounUS /ˈsɜːrvəs/

work done by one person or group that benefits another

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

SHEpronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

sheddingnounUS /ˈʃedɪŋ/

the process whereby something is shed

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

situationnounUS /ˌsɪtʃuːˈeɪʃən/

the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

sleepnounUS /sliːp/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

sometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading He sometimes came down to breakfast, but such a dissipation as yesterday put it out of the question on this particular morning.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading He sometimes came down to breakfast, but such a dissipation as yesterday put it out of the question on this particular morning.

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

teanounUS /tiː/

a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

tearsnounUS /terz/

the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

toastverbUS /toʊst/

make brown and crisp by heating

From this reading Sally came to this conclusion as she poured out her tea, after despatching his toast and coffee to the Major in his own room.

TOOKverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading AND HOW SHE TOOK HER MEDICAL ADVISER INTO HER CONFIDENCE AFTER DIVINE SERVICE Though Sally cried herself to sleep after her interview with her beloved but reticent old fossil, nevertheless, when she awoke next morning and found herself mistress of the house and the situation, she became suddenly alive to the advantages of complete independence.

yesterdaynounUS /ˈjestərdeɪ/

the day immediately before today

From this reading He sometimes came down to breakfast, but such a dissipation as yesterday put it out of the question on this particular morning.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

yourselfpronounUS /jərˈself/

used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action

From this reading She was an optimist constitutionally; for it _is_ optimism to decide that it is "rather a lark" to breakfast by yourself when you have just dried the tears you have been shedding over the loss of your morning companion.

Chapter 15 of Somehow Good by William De Morgan holds 280 sentences, grouped into 56 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.

What does chapter 15 of Somehow Good contain?

Chapter 15 holds 280 sentences of Somehow Good, unabridged, divided into 56 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of Somehow Good by William De Morgan exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 280 sentences, grouped into 56 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 15 of Somehow Good?

Work through the 56 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 56 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 Somehow Good

Common questions about reading Somehow Good by William De Morgan on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Somehow Good?

Yes. All 13473 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28345 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Somehow Good is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #28345, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Somehow Good take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2695 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Somehow Good section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Somehow Good 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 Somehow Good

Words and structures a reader meets early in Somehow Good, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Exceptionally
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Somehow Good; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Well-built
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Somehow Good; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Serge
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Somehow Good; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Walked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Somehow Good; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.