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Sylvia & Michael
Sylvia & Michael

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of Sylvia & Michael is here in full — 480 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Sylvia & Michael
Context Illustration Reading 1/96 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.
Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.
Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.
She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.
The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.
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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.

Sylvia & Michael

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of Sylvia & Michael is here in full — 480 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/96 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.
Line 2
Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.
Line 3
Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.
/ˈprezəntli ʃiː ɡruː ˈtaɪərd ʌv ˈwɔːkɪŋ əˈloʊn ənd ˈlʊkɪŋ əˈbaʊt hɜːr ʃiː sɔː ɑːn ðə ˈʌðər saɪd ʌv ðə roʊd ə ˈsɪnəmə ˈθiːətər wer ʃiː ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd tuː spend ðə rest ʌv ə ˈdrɪri ˌæftərˈnuːn/
Line 4
She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.
/ʃiː wɑːz sərˈpraɪzd tuː faɪnd ðæt ðə ˈloʊəst tʃɑːrdʒ fɔːr ˈentrəns wɑːz tuː ˈruːbəlz bʌt wen ʃiː went ˌɪnˈsaɪd ənd sɔː ðə fɪlm ʃiː ˌʌndərˈstʊd ðə ˈriːzən/
Line 5
The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.
/ðə ˈθiːətər wɑːz fʊl ʌv men ənd ʃiː kʊd hiːr ðem ˈwɪspərɪŋ tuː wʌn əˈnʌðər ðer əˈstɑːnɪʃmənt æt ˈsiːɪŋ ə ˈwʊmən ˈentər ðə pleɪs ʃiː wɑːz ˈθæŋkfəl ðæt ðə dɪm red laɪt kənˈsiːld hɜːr ˈblʌʃəz ənd ʃiː ɪˈskeɪpt æz ˈkwɪkli æz ˈpɑːsəbəl ˈkwentʃɪŋ ðə ˈɪmpəls tuː əˈbjuːs ðə ˈdɔːrkiːpər fɔːr nɑːt ˈwɔːrnɪŋ hɜːr wʌt kaɪnd ʌv æn ˌentərˈteɪnmənt wɑːz ˈteɪkɪŋ pleɪs ˌɪnˈsaɪd/

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.

blushes noun US /ˈblʌʃəz/

plural of “blush” — a rosy color (especially in the cheeks) taken as a sign of good health

From this reading “The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.”

bothered adjective US /ˈbɑːðərd/

caused to show discomposure

From this reading “Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.”

cinema noun US /ˈsɪnəmə/

a medium that disseminates moving pictures

From this reading “Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.”

doorkeeper noun US /ˈdɔːrkiːpər/

an official stationed at the entrance of a courtroom or legislative chamber

From this reading “The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.”

film noun US /fɪlm/

a form of entertainment that enacts a story by sound and a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement

From this reading “She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.”

quenching noun US /ˈkwentʃɪŋ/

the act of extinguishing; causing to stop burning

From this reading “The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.”

rubles noun US /ˈruːbəlz/

plural of “ruble” — the basic unit of money in Tajikistan

From this reading “She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.”

seclusion noun US /sɪˈkluːʒən/

the quality of being secluded from the presence or view of others

From this reading “Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

grew tired verb + adjective counted as “grow tired”

In this reading “Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.”

other side adjective + noun

In this reading “Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.”

taking place noun + noun

In this reading “The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.”

felt somewhat verb + particle

In this reading “Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.”

went inside verb + adjective counted as “go inside”

In this reading “She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.”

rest of verb + particle

In this reading “Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.”

at seeing preposition + noun

In this reading “The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.”

make friends verb + noun counted as “make friend”

In this reading “Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.”

All words in this reading · 112

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 On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

abuseverbUS /əˈbjuːs/

treat badly

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

artistes

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

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

astonishmentnounUS /əˈstɑːnɪʃmənt/

the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

blushesnounUS /ˈblʌʃəz/

plural of “blush” — a rosy color (especially in the cheeks) taken as a sign of good health

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

botheredadjectiveUS /ˈbɑːðərd/

caused to show discomposure

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

chargeverbUS /tʃɑːrdʒ/

to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

cinemanounUS /ˈsɪnəmə/

a medium that disseminates moving pictures

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

concealedadjectiveUS /kənˈsiːld/

not accessible to view

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

decidedadjectiveUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd/

recognizable; marked

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

dimadjectiveUS /dɪm/

lacking in light; not bright or harsh

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

doorkeepernounUS /ˈdɔːrkiːpər/

an official stationed at the entrance of a courtroom or legislative chamber

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

drearyadjectiveUS /ˈdrɪri/

lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

enterverbUS /ˈentər/

to come or go into

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

entertainmentnounUS /ˌentərˈteɪnmənt/

an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

entrancenounUS /ˈentrəns/

something that provides access (to get in or get out)

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

escapedadjectiveUS /ɪˈskeɪpt/

having escaped, especially from confinement

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

fellownounUS /ˈfeloʊ/

a boy or man

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

filmnounUS /fɪlm/

a form of entertainment that enacts a story by sound and a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

friendsnounUS /frendz/

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

grewverbUS /ɡruː/

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

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

From this reading On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

impulsenounUS /ˈɪmpəls/

an instinctive motive

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

insideadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsaɪd/

relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

Kieff

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

From this reading On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

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 Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

lowestadjectiveUS /ˈloʊəst/

lowest in rank or importance

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

PresentlyadverbUS /ˈprezəntli/

in the near future

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

quenchingnounUS /ˈkwentʃɪŋ/

the act of extinguishing; causing to stop burning

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/

with speed

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

remoteadjectiveUS /rɪˈmoʊt/

located far away spatially

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

rublesnounUS /ˈruːbəlz/

plural of “ruble” — the basic unit of money in Tajikistan

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

seclusionnounUS /sɪˈkluːʒən/

the quality of being secluded from the presence or view of others

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

seeingnounUS /ˈsiːɪŋ/

perception by means of the eyes

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

SinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

somewhatadverbUS /ˈsʌmˈwʌt/

to a small degree or extent

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

spendverbUS /spend/

use up a period of time in a specific way

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

stayverbUS /steɪ/

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

surprisedadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzd/

taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

Sylvia

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

From this reading On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

takingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

thankfuladjectiveUS /ˈθæŋkfəl/

feeling or showing gratitude

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

theaternounUS /ˈθiːətər/

a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/

depleted of strength or energy

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

understoodadjectiveUS /ˌʌndərˈstʊd/

fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

walknounUS /wɔːk/

the act of traveling by foot

From this reading On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

walkingadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːkɪŋ/

close enough to be walked to

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

warningnounUS /ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/

a message informing of danger

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading On the day after she reached Kieff Sylvia went for a walk by herself.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading She was surprised to find that the lowest charge for entrance was two rubles; but when she went inside and saw the film, she understood the reason.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Presently she grew tired of walking alone and, looking about her, she saw on the other side of the road a cinema theater, where she decided to spend the rest of a dreary afternoon.

whisperingnounUS /ˈwɪspərɪŋ/

a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading The theater was full of men, and she could hear them whispering to one another their astonishment at seeing a woman enter the place; she was thankful that the dim red light concealed her blushes, and she escaped as quickly as possible, quenching the impulse to abuse the doorkeeper for not warning her what kind of an entertainment was taking place inside.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading Since she was going to stay only a week in this city and since she still felt somewhat remote from the world after her long seclusion, she had not bothered to make friends with any of her fellow-_artistes_.

Chapter 3 of Sylvia & Michael by Compton MacKenzie holds 480 sentences, grouped into 96 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 3 of Sylvia & Michael contain?

Chapter 3 holds 480 sentences of Sylvia & Michael, unabridged, divided into 96 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of Sylvia & Michael by Compton MacKenzie exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 480 sentences, grouped into 96 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 3 of Sylvia & Michael?

Work through the 96 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 96 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Sylvia & Michael

Common questions about reading Sylvia & Michael by Compton MacKenzie on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Sylvia & Michael?

Yes. All 5731 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #39660 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Sylvia & Michael is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #39660, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Sylvia & Michael take to read?

About 477 minutes of reading across 1147 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Sylvia & Michael section by section

How to work through Sylvia & Michael section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 7 chapters of Sylvia & Michael 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 Sylvia & Michael

Words and structures a reader meets early in Sylvia & Michael, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Sylvia
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Sylvia & Michael; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Reached
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Sylvia & Michael; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Paris
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Sylvia & Michael; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Longer
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Sylvia & Michael; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.