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Tales by Polish Authors
Tales by Polish Authors

Chapter XI

Chapter 11 of Tales by Polish Authors is here in full — 1405 sentences across 281 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Tales by Polish Authors
Context Illustration Reading 1/281 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
'The Election!
The Election!'
Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.
'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.
But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Tales by Polish Authors

Chapter XI

Chapter 11 of Tales by Polish Authors is here in full — 1405 sentences across 281 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/281 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
'The Election!
/ðə ɪˈlekʃən/
Line 2
The Election!'
/ðə ɪˈlekʃən/
Line 3
Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.
Line 4
'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.
Line 5
But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'
/bʌt ðə ɡreɪt ˌpɑːləˈtɪʃən blʌʃt laɪk ə ˈtʃeri ənd ˈænsərd wɪð ə ˈbjuːtəfəl smaɪl oʊ wiː ˈoʊnli duː wʌt wiː kæn/

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.

aristocratic adjective US /ərˌɪstəˈkrætɪk/

belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy

From this reading “'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.”

blushed verb US /blʌʃt/

past form of “blush” — turn red, as if in embarrassment or shame

From this reading “But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'”

cherry noun US /ˈtʃeri/

wood of any of various cherry trees especially the black cherry

From this reading “But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'”

dreamt verb US /drɛmt/

Experienced dreams during sleep.

From this reading “Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.”

Election noun US /ɪˈlekʃən/

a vote to select the winner of a position or political office

From this reading “'The Election!”

kissing noun US /ˈkɪsɪŋ/

affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)

From this reading “'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.”

neighbour noun US /ˈneɪbər/

a person who lives (or is located) near another

From this reading “'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.”

politician noun US /ˌpɑːləˈtɪʃən/

a leader engaged in civil administration

From this reading “'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.”

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.

great politician adjective + noun

In this reading “'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.”

dreamt of verb + particle

In this reading “Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.”

All words in this reading · 48

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 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

aristocraticadjectiveUS /ərˌɪstəˈkrætɪk/

belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

blushedverbUS /blʌʃt/

past form of “blush” — turn red, as if in embarrassment or shame

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

cherrynounUS /ˈtʃeri/

wood of any of various cherry trees especially the black cherry

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

CountessnounUS /ˈkaʊntəs/

female equivalent of a count or earl

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

dreamtverbUS /drɛmt/

Experienced dreams during sleep.

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

ElectionnounUS /ɪˈlekʃən/

a vote to select the winner of a position or political office

From this reading 'The Election!

else

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

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

Jarzyński's

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

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

kissingnounUS /ˈkɪsɪŋ/

affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

Marya

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

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

neighbournounUS /ˈneɪbər/

a person who lives (or is located) near another

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

politiciannounUS /ˌpɑːləˈtɪʃən/

a leader engaged in civil administration

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

smileverbUS /smaɪl/

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

snake-like

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

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

talkedverbUS /tɔːkt/

past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading 'The Election!

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Countess Marya Jarzyński's head was full of it, and she thought, talked and dreamt of nothing else.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading But the 'great politician' blushed like a cherry, and answered with a beautiful smile:-- 'Oh, we only do what we can!'

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading 'You are a great politician,' an aristocratic neighbour said to her, kissing her small hands in a snake-like way.

Chapter 11 of Tales by Polish Authors by Else C. M. (Else Cecilia Mendelssohn) [Translator] Benecke holds 1405 sentences, grouped into 281 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 11 of Tales by Polish Authors contain?

Chapter 11 holds 1405 sentences of Tales by Polish Authors, unabridged, divided into 281 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 11 of Tales by Polish Authors by Else C. M. (Else Cecilia Mendelssohn) [Translator] Benecke exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 1405 sentences, grouped into 281 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 11 of Tales by Polish Authors?

Work through the 281 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 281 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 11 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 11 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 Tales by Polish Authors

Common questions about reading Tales by Polish Authors by Else C. M. (Else Cecilia Mendelssohn) [Translator] Benecke on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Tales by Polish Authors?

Yes. All 2756 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #35456 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Tales by Polish Authors is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #35456, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Tales by Polish Authors take to read?

About 229 minutes of reading across 552 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Tales by Polish Authors section by section

How to work through Tales by Polish Authors section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 11 chapters of Tales by Polish Authors 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 Tales by Polish Authors

Words and structures a reader meets early in Tales by Polish Authors, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

London
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tales by Polish Authors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Simpkin
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tales by Polish Authors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Marshall
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tales by Polish Authors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Contemporary
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tales by Polish Authors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.