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The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2)
The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2)

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2) is here in full — 398 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2)
Context Illustration Reading 1/79 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.
Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.
I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.
There was the world, and here was she with eternity well begun.
In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.
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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.

The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2)

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2) is here in full — 398 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/79 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.
/ðə bɜːrdz wɜːr ˈflaɪɪŋ ɔːl əˈbaʊt ðə fiːld ðeɪ ˈflʌtərd ʌp aʊt ʌv ðə ɡræs æt maɪ fiːt æz aɪ wɔːkt əˈlɔːŋ soʊ teɪm ðæt aɪ laɪkt tuː θɪŋk ðeɪ kept sʌm ˈhæpi trəˈdɪʃən frʌm ˈsʌmər tuː ˈsʌmər ʌv ðə ˈseɪfti ʌv nests ənd ɡʊd ˈfeloʊʃɪp ʌv ˈmænˈkaɪnd/
Line 2
Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.
Line 3
I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.
Line 4
There was the world, and here was she with eternity well begun.
/ðer wɑːz ðə wɜːrld ənd hiːr wɑːz ʃiː wɪð ɪˈtɜːrnəti wel bɪˈɡʌn/
Line 5
In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

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.

befriending verb US /bɪˈfrendɪŋ/

-ing form of “befriend” — become friends with

From this reading “Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.”

countryside noun US /ˈkʌntrisaɪd/

rural regions

From this reading “I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.”

dreamlike adjective US /ˈdriːmlaɪk/

resembling a dream

From this reading “I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.”

fellowship noun US /ˈfeloʊʃɪp/

an association of people who share common beliefs or activities

From this reading “The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.”

foundations noun US /faʊnˈdeɪʃənz/

plural of “foundation” — the basis on which something is grounded

From this reading “Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.”

mainland noun US /ˈmeɪnlænd/

the main land mass of a country or continent; as distinguished from an island or peninsula

From this reading “I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.”

pinks noun US /pɪŋks/

plural of “pink” — a light shade of red

From this reading “Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.”

recluse noun US /rɪˈkluːs/

one who lives in solitude

From this reading “In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.”

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.

yellow butterfly adjective + noun

In this reading “Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.”

good fellowship adjective + noun

In this reading “The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.”

flower garden noun + noun

a garden featuring flowering plants

In this reading “Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.”

of mankind preposition + noun

In this reading “The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.”

All words in this reading · 132

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 Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

AugustnounUS /ˈɑːɡəst/

the month following July and preceding September

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

beenounUS /biː/

any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

befriendingverbUS /bɪˈfrendɪŋ/

-ing form of “befriend” — become friends with

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

begunverbUS /bɪˈɡʌn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading There was the world, and here was she with eternity well begun.

belongverbUS /bɪˈlɔːŋ/

be owned by; be in the possession of

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

birdsnounUS /bɜːrdz/

plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

busyadjectiveUS /ˈbɪzi/

actively or fully engaged or occupied

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

butterflyverbUS /ˈbʌtərflaɪ/

flutter like a butterfly

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

cellnounUS /sel/

A small stone room in a prison where an inmate is locked behind iron bars.

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

countrysidenounUS /ˈkʌntrisaɪd/

rural regions

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

dimadjectiveUS /dɪm/

lacking in light; not bright or harsh

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

drankverbUS /dræŋk/

inflected form of “drink” — take in liquids

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

dreamlikeadjectiveUS /ˈdriːmlaɪk/

resembling a dream

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

endlessadjectiveUS /ˈendləs/

tiresomely long; seemingly without end

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

eternitynounUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəti/

time without end

From this reading There was the world, and here was she with eternity well begun.

exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/

having lost freshness or brilliance of color

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

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

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

fellowsnounUS /ˈfeloʊz/

plural of “fellow” — a boy or man

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

fellowshipnounUS /ˈfeloʊʃɪp/

an association of people who share common beliefs or activities

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

fieldnounUS /fiːld/

a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

flowernounUS /ˈflaʊər/

a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

flutteredverbUS /ˈflʌtərd/

past form of “flutter” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

flyingadjectiveUS /ˈflaɪɪŋ/

moving swiftly

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

followverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊ/

to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

foundationsnounUS /faʊnˈdeɪʃənz/

plural of “foundation” — the basis on which something is grounded

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

FrenchnounUS /frentʃ/

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

gardennounUS /ˈɡɑːrdən/

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

grassverbUS /ɡræs/

shoot down, of birds

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

happinessnounUS /ˈhæpinəs/

state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

hard-worked

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

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

hazenounUS /heɪz/

atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading There was the world, and here was she with eternity well begun.

hermitnounUS /ˈhɜːrmət/

one retired from society for religious reasons

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

housenounUS /haʊs/

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

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

islanded

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

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

Joanna

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

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

Joanna's

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

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

likedadjectiveUS /laɪkt/

found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

mainlandnounUS /ˈmeɪnlænd/

the main land mass of a country or continent; as distinguished from an island or peninsula

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

mankindnounUS /ˈmænˈkaɪnd/

all of the living human inhabitants of the earth

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

much-enduring

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

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

nestsnounUS /nests/

plural of “nest” — a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

pinksnounUS /pɪŋks/

plural of “pink” — a light shade of red

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

PooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

reclusenounUS /rɪˈkluːs/

one who lives in solitude

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

regretverbUS /rəˈɡret/

feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

remoteadjectiveUS /rɪˈmoʊt/

located far away spatially

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

safetynounUS /ˈseɪfti/

the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

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

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading There was the world, and here was she with eternity well begun.

simple-thoughted

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

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

singleadjectiveUS /ˈsɪŋɡəl/

being or characteristic of a single thing or person

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

sprignoun

a small branch or division of a branch (especially a terminal division); usually applied to branches of the current or preceding year

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

stonesnounUS /stoʊnz/

plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

summernounUS /ˈsʌmər/

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

tameverbUS /teɪm/

correct by punishment or discipline

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

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

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

tracenounUS /treɪs/

a just detectable amount

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

traditionnounUS /trəˈdɪʃən/

an inherited pattern of thought or action

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

uncompanioned

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

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

watchedverbUS /wɑːtʃt/

past form of “watch” — look attentively

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading There was the world, and here was she with eternity well begun.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The birds were flying all about the field; they fluttered up out of the grass at my feet as I walked along, so tame that I liked to think they kept some happy tradition from summer to summer of the safety of nests and good fellowship of mankind.

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading There was the world, and here was she with eternity well begun.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading There was the world, and here was she with eternity well begun.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading I drank at the spring, and thought that now and then some one would follow me from the busy, hard-worked, and simple-thoughted countryside of the mainland, which lay dim and dreamlike in the August haze, as Joanna must have watched it many a day.

yellowadjectiveUS /ˈjeloʊ/

of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk

From this reading Poor Joanna’s house was gone except the stones of its foundations, and there was little trace of her flower garden except a single faded sprig of much-enduring French pinks, which a great bee and a yellow butterfly were befriending together.

Chapter 4 of The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2) by Sarah Orne Jewett holds 398 sentences, grouped into 80 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 4 of The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2) contain?

Chapter 4 holds 398 sentences of The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2), unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2) by Sarah Orne Jewett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 398 sentences, grouped into 80 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 4 of The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2)?

Work through the 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 80 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 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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 The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2)

Common questions about reading The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2) by Sarah Orne Jewett on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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How long does The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2) take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2) section by section

How to work through The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2) section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 0 chapters of The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2) to begin.

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Vocabulary met early in The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2)

Words and structures a reader meets early in The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2), divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2), divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of The best stories of Sarah Orne Jewett, Volume 1 (of 2), divided into 5-sentence reading sections.