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The Cloister and the Hearth
The Cloister and the Hearth

Chapter XXX · Chapter 30

Chapter 30 of The Cloister and the Hearth is here in full — 460 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Cloister and the Hearth
Context Illustration Reading 1/92 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.
The governing power is strong in her.
She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.
But this cricket is a Busy Body.
And that is a tremendous character.
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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 Cloister and the Hearth

Chapter XXX · Chapter 30

Chapter 30 of The Cloister and the Hearth is here in full — 460 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/92 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.
/ðə hɑːrθ ə ˈkæθərən ɪz nɑːt æn ənˈmɪkst ɡʊd ɪn ə streɪndʒ haʊs/
Line 2
The governing power is strong in her.
/ðə ˈɡʌvərnɪŋ ˈpaʊər ɪz strɔːŋ ɪn hɜːr/
Line 3
She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.
Line 4
But this cricket is a Busy Body.
/bʌt ðɪs ˈkrɪkət ɪz ə ˈbɪzi ˈbɑːdi/
Line 5
And that is a tremendous character.
/ənd ðæt ɪz ə trəˈmendəs ˈkerɪktər/

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.

animate verb US /ˈænəmət/

heighten or intensify

From this reading “She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.”

brighten verb US /ˈbraɪtən/

make more cheerful through the use of color

From this reading “She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.”

Catherine noun US /ˈkæθərən/

first wife of Henry VIII; Henry VIII's divorce from her was the initial step of the Reformation in England (1485-1536)

From this reading “THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.”

cricket noun US /ˈkrɪkət/

leaping insect; male makes chirping noises by rubbing the forewings together

From this reading “She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.”

governing adjective US /ˈɡʌvərnɪŋ/

responsible for making and enforcing rules and laws

From this reading “The governing power is strong in her.”

hearth noun US /hɑːrθ/

an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built

From this reading “THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.”

unmixed adjective US /ənˈmɪkst/

not mixed with extraneous elements

From this reading “THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.”

utensils noun US /juːˈtensəlz/

plural of “utensil” — an implement for practical use (especially in a household)

From this reading “She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.”

All words in this reading · 46

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 THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

animateverbUS /ˈænəmət/

heighten or intensify

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

BodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading But this cricket is a Busy Body.

brightenverbUS /ˈbraɪtən/

make more cheerful through the use of color

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

BusyadjectiveUS /ˈbɪzi/

actively or fully engaged or occupied

From this reading But this cricket is a Busy Body.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But this cricket is a Busy Body.

CatherinenounUS /ˈkæθərən/

first wife of Henry VIII; Henry VIII's divorce from her was the initial step of the Reformation in England (1485-1536)

From this reading THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.

characternounUS /ˈkerɪktər/

an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)

From this reading And that is a tremendous character.

cricketnounUS /ˈkrɪkət/

leaping insect; male makes chirping noises by rubbing the forewings together

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

crossedadjectiveUS /krɔːst/

placed crosswise

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

dwelling-place

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

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

enormousadjectiveUS /ɪˈnɔːrməs/

extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

ereconjunctionUS /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.

governingadjectiveUS /ˈɡʌvərnɪŋ/

responsible for making and enforcing rules and laws

From this reading The governing power is strong in her.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

HEARTHnounUS /hɑːrθ/

an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built

From this reading THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading The governing power is strong in her.

housenounUS /haʊs/

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

From this reading THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading The governing power is strong in her.

scarceadverbUS /skers/

only a very short time before

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.

strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading The governing power is strong in her.

sweepverbUS /swiːp/

sweep across or over

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading And that is a tremendous character.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading But this cricket is a Busy Body.

thresholdnounUS /ˈθreʃoʊld/

the starting point for a new state or experience

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

tremendousadjectiveUS /trəˈmendəs/

extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree

From this reading And that is a tremendous character.

unmixedadjectiveUS /ənˈmɪkst/

not mixed with extraneous elements

From this reading THE HEARTH A Catherine is not an unmixed good in a strange house.

utensilsnounUS /juːˈtensəlz/

plural of “utensil” — an implement for practical use (especially in a household)

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of an enormous cricket to animate the dwelling-place.

Chapter 30 of The Cloister and the Hearth by Charles Reade holds 460 sentences, grouped into 92 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 30 of The Cloister and the Hearth contain?

Chapter 30 holds 460 sentences of The Cloister and the Hearth, unabridged, divided into 92 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 30 of The Cloister and the Hearth by Charles Reade exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 460 sentences, grouped into 92 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 30 of The Cloister and the Hearth?

Work through the 92 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 92 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 30 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 30 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 Cloister and the Hearth

Common questions about reading The Cloister and the Hearth by Charles Reade on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Cloister and the Hearth?

Yes. All 17624 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1366 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Cloister and the Hearth is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1366, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Cloister and the Hearth take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 3525 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Cloister and the Hearth section by section

How to work through The Cloister and the Hearth section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Cloister and the Hearth 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 The Cloister and the Hearth

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Cloister and the Hearth, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Passes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cloister and the Hearth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Earth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cloister and the Hearth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Women
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cloister and the Hearth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Great
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cloister and the Hearth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.