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Ten Degrees Backward
Ten Degrees Backward

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Ten Degrees Backward is here in full — 299 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Ten Degrees Backward
Context Illustration Reading 1/59 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.
The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.
To a traveller coming down the hill the village seemed to lie in a sheltered and secluded valley.
On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.
Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.
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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.

Ten Degrees Backward

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Ten Degrees Backward is here in full — 299 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/59 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.
Line 2
The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.
Line 3
To a traveller coming down the hill the village seemed to lie in a sheltered and secluded valley.
/tuː ə ˈtrævələr ˈkʌmɪŋ daʊn ðə hɪl ðə ˈvɪlədʒ siːmd tuː laɪ ɪn ə ˈʃeltərd ənd sɪˈkluːdɪd ˈvæli/
Line 4
On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.
Line 5
Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.

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.

cottages noun US /ˈkɑːtɪdʒɪz/

plural of “cottage” — a small house with a single story

From this reading “Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Downs noun US /daʊnz/

plural of “down” — soft fine feathers

From this reading “RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
manor noun US /ˈmænər/

the mansion of a lord or wealthy person

From this reading “RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
panorama noun US /ˌpænərˈæmə/

the visual percept of a region

From this reading “The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rectory noun US /ˈrektəri/

an official residence provided by a church for its parson or vicar or rector

From this reading “On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
repented verb US /rɪˈpentɪd/

past form of “repent” — turn away from sin or do penitence

From this reading “RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
secluded adjective US /sɪˈkluːdɪd/

hidden from general view or use

From this reading “To a traveller coming down the hill the village seemed to lie in a sheltered and secluded valley.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sinned verb US /sɪnd/

inflected form of “sin” — commit a sin; violate a law of God or a moral law

From this reading “RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

steep ascent adjective + noun

In this reading “The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.”

542 times in 426,211 chapters
from whence preposition + adverb

In this reading “The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.”

7,402 times in 426,211 chapters
lower down verb + adjective

In this reading “Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.”

2,258 times in 426,211 chapters
low range adjective + noun

In this reading “RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.”

201 times in 426,211 chapters
brought up verb + adjective counted as “bring up”

summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic

In this reading “RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.”

29,347 times in 426,211 chapters
white house noun + noun

the chief executive department of the United States government

In this reading “On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.”

3,940 times in 426,211 chapters
lie in verb + particle

originate (in)

In this reading “To a traveller coming down the hill the village seemed to lie in a sheltered and secluded valley.”

17,211 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 81

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 RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ascentnounUS /əˈsent/

an upward slope or grade (as in a road)

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bornadjectiveUS /bɔːrn/

brought into existence

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
churchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading To a traveller coming down the hill the village seemed to lie in a sheltered and secluded valley.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cottagesnounUS /ˈkɑːtɪdʒɪz/

plural of “cottage” — a small house with a single story

From this reading Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading To a traveller coming down the hill the village seemed to lie in a sheltered and secluded valley.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DownsnounUS /daʊnz/

plural of “down” — soft fine feathers

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
gardensnounUS /ˈɡɑːrdənz/

plural of “garden” — a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gloriousadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɔːriəs/

having or deserving or conferring glory

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grandadjectiveUS /ɡrænd/

of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope

From this reading Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
half-timberedadjective

having exposed wood framing with spaces filled with masonry, as in Tudor architecture

From this reading Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hillsnounUS /hɪlz/

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hollowadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːloʊ/

not solid; having a space or gap or cavity

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
housenounUS /haʊs/

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

From this reading On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
innnounUS /ɪn/

a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers

From this reading Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
KentnounUS /kent/

a county in southeastern England on the English Channel; formerly an Anglo-Saxon kingdom, it was the first to be colonized by the Romans

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Kentishnoun

one of the major dialects of Old English

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lieverbUS /laɪ/

be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position

From this reading To a traveller coming down the hill the village seemed to lie in a sheltered and secluded valley.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
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 RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lowerverbUS /ˈloʊər/

move something or somebody to a lower position

From this reading Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MANORnounUS /ˈmænər/

the mansion of a lord or wealthy person

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NorthnounUS /nɔːrθ/

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
northwardsadverb

in a northern direction

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
one's

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

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

Pending verification
panoramanounUS /ˌpænərˈæmə/

the visual percept of a region

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
parknounUS /pɑːrk/

a large area of land preserved in its natural state as public property

From this reading On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rangenounUS /reɪndʒ/

an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rectorynounUS /ˈrektəri/

an official residence provided by a church for its parson or vicar or rector

From this reading On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
repentedverbUS /rɪˈpentɪd/

past form of “repent” — turn away from sin or do penitence

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
RESTHAM

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

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

Pending verification
rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
secludedadjectiveUS /sɪˈkluːdɪd/

hidden from general view or use

From this reading To a traveller coming down the hill the village seemed to lie in a sheltered and secluded valley.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading To a traveller coming down the hill the village seemed to lie in a sheltered and secluded valley.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shelteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃeltərd/

protected from danger or bad weather

From this reading To a traveller coming down the hill the village seemed to lie in a sheltered and secluded valley.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sinnedverbUS /sɪnd/

inflected form of “sin” — commit a sin; violate a law of God or a moral law

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
slopenounUS /sloʊp/

an elevated geological formation

From this reading On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spreadverbUS /spred/

distribute or disperse widely

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
squareverbUS /skwer/

make square

From this reading Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
steepadjectiveUS /stiːp/

having a sharp inclination

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sufferedverbUS /ˈsʌfərd/

past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
surroundedadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪd/

confined on all sides

From this reading On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
topnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
travellernounUS /ˈtrævələr/

a person who changes location

From this reading To a traveller coming down the hill the village seemed to lie in a sheltered and secluded valley.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
twelfth-century

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

From this reading Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.

Pending verification
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
valleynounUS /ˈvæli/

a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river

From this reading To a traveller coming down the hill the village seemed to lie in a sheltered and secluded valley.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Wealdnoun

an area of open or forested country

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whenceadverbUS /wens/

an old word meaning “from where”

From this reading The road northwards was a steep ascent to the top of the hill, from whence one saw spread at one's feet the glorious panorama of the Weald of Kent.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading RESTHAM MANOR The village of Restham--where I was born and brought up, and where later I sinned and suffered and repented--lay in a hollow in that long, low range of Kentish hills known as the North Downs.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading On the right of the slope was the rectory--a fine old white house, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Then, lower down, was the village square, with its half-timbered inn and cottages, and its grand, twelfth-century church.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 2 of Ten Degrees Backward by Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler holds 299 sentences, grouped into 60 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 2 of Ten Degrees Backward contain?

Chapter 2 holds 299 sentences of Ten Degrees Backward, unabridged, divided into 60 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Ten Degrees Backward by Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 299 sentences, grouped into 60 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 2 of Ten Degrees Backward?

Work through the 60 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 60 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Ten Degrees Backward

Common questions about reading Ten Degrees Backward by Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Ten Degrees Backward?

Yes. All 4536 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #57464 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Ten Degrees Backward is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #57464, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Ten Degrees Backward take to read?

About 378 minutes of reading across 908 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Ten Degrees Backward section by section

How to work through Ten Degrees Backward section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of Ten Degrees Backward 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 Ten Degrees Backward

Words and structures a reader meets early in Ten Degrees Backward, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ten Degrees Backward; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ladyship's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ten Degrees Backward; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Conscience
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ten Degrees Backward; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Concerning
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ten Degrees Backward; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.