Chapter 7 of The Book of Susan: A Novel is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VII
Chapter 7 of The Book of Susan: A Novel is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"I could not promise so easily," said Gertrude; "nor so much. No; don't come with me," she added. "I know my way perfectly well alone." Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit. It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.
Chapter 7 of The Book of Susan: A Novel is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
a feeling of delighted approval and liking
From this reading “It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.”
exhibiting courtesy and politeness
From this reading “It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.”
not fake or counterfeit
From this reading “It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.”
an established custom
From this reading “It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.”
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading “Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.”
hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
From this reading “Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.”
make a promise or commitment
From this reading “"I could not promise so easily," said Gertrude; "nor so much.”
something given or done as an expression of esteem
From this reading “It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.”
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.
exterior door (at the entrance) at the front of a building
In this reading “Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.”
be present or associated with an event or entity
In this reading “Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.
past form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of
From this reading No; don't come with me," she added.
a feeling of delighted approval and liking
From this reading It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.
Having no one else present.
From this reading "I know my way perfectly well alone."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading No; don't come with me," she added.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "I could not promise so easily," said Gertrude; "nor so much.
exhibiting courtesy and politeness
From this reading It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No; don't come with me," she added.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading "I could not promise so easily," said Gertrude; "nor so much.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.
not fake or counterfeit
From this reading It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I could not promise so easily," said Gertrude; "nor so much.
an established custom
From this reading It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I could not promise so easily," said Gertrude; "nor so much.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "I know my way perfectly well alone."
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading No; don't come with me," she added.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "I could not promise so easily," said Gertrude; "nor so much.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "I know my way perfectly well alone."
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.
not any; not one
From this reading No; don't come with me," she added.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading "I could not promise so easily," said Gertrude; "nor so much.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "I could not promise so easily," said Gertrude; "nor so much.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading "I know my way perfectly well alone."
hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
From this reading Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.
make a promise or commitment
From this reading "I could not promise so easily," said Gertrude; "nor so much.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I could not promise so easily," said Gertrude; "nor so much.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading No; don't come with me," she added.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "I could not promise so easily," said Gertrude; "nor so much.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.
something given or done as an expression of esteem
From this reading It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was more than a courteous habit; it was a genuine tribute of admiration.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "I know my way perfectly well alone."
(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 "I know my way perfectly well alone."
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Nevertheless, I went with her to the front door, as I ought, in no perfunctory spirit.
in the company of; together with
From this reading No; don't come with me," she added.
Chapter 7 of The Book of Susan: A Novel by Lee Wilson Dodd holds 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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.
Chapter 7 holds 409 sentences of The Book of Susan: A Novel, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 7 of The Book of Susan: A Novel by Lee Wilson Dodd exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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.
Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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.
Common questions about reading The Book of Susan: A Novel by Lee Wilson Dodd on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6416 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33400 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #33400, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 534 minutes of reading across 1284 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Book of Susan: A Novel section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 16 chapters of The Book of Susan: A Novel to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Book of Susan: A Novel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
