The Confession of a Child of the Century — Volume 1

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Confession of a Child of the Century — Volume 1 is here in full — 97 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Alfred de Musset • Curated US English Learning Edition

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English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

I had no occupation.

I had studied medicine and law without being able to decide on either of the two careers; I had worked for a banker for six months, and my services were so unsatisfactory that I was obliged to resign to avoid being discharged.

My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.

My only treasure, after love, was reserve.

Narrator

Speed 0.75x

AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter III Reading 1/19

The Confession of a Child of the Century — Volume 1 Alfred de Musset

Chapter III

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Confession of a Child of the Century — Volume 1 is here in full — 97 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?" I had no occupation. I had studied medicine and law without being able to decide on either of the two careers; I had worked for a banker for six months, and my services were so unsatisfactory that I was obliged to resign to avoid being discharged. My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive. My only treasure, after love, was reserve.

The Confession of a Child of the Century — Volume 1

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Confession of a Child of the Century — Volume 1 is here in full — 97 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

/ðə pæθ ʌv dɪˈsper ðə nekst ˈmɔːrnɪŋ ðə fɜːrst ˈkwestʃən ðæt əˈkɜːrd tuː maɪ maɪnd wɑːz wʌt ʃæl aɪ duː/

Line 2

I had no occupation.

/aɪ hæd noʊ ˌɑːkjəˈpeɪʃən/

Line 3

/aɪ hæd ˈstʌdid ˈmedəsən ənd lɔː wɪˈθaʊt ˈbiːɪŋ ˈeɪbəl tuː ˌdɪˈsaɪd ɑːn ˈiːðər ʌv ðə tuː kərˈɪrz aɪ hæd wɜːrkt fɔːr ə ˈbæŋkər fɔːr sɪks mʌnθs ənd maɪ ˈsɜːrvəsəz wɜːr soʊ ˌʌnsətɪˈsfæktəri ðæt aɪ wɑːz əˈblaɪdʒd tuː rɪˈzaɪn tuː əˈvɔɪd ˈbiːɪŋ dɪsˈtʃɑːrdʒd/

Line 4

My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.

Line 5

My only treasure, after love, was reserve.

/maɪ ˈoʊnli ˈtreʒər ˈæftər lʌv wɑːz rɪˈzɜːrv/

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.

banker noun US /ˈbæŋkər/

a financier who owns or is an executive in a bank

From this reading “I had studied medicine and law without being able to decide on either of the two careers; I had worked for a banker for six months, and my services were so unsatisfactory that I was obliged to resign to avoid being discharged.”

careers noun US /kərˈɪrz/

plural of “career” — the particular occupation for which you are trained

discharged adjective US /dɪsˈtʃɑːrdʒd/

having lost your job

resign verb US /rɪˈzaɪn/

leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily

studies noun US /ˈstʌdiz/

plural of “study” — a detailed critical inspection

From this reading “My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.”

superficial adjective US /ˌsuːpərˈfɪʃəl/

concerned with or comprehending only what is apparent or obvious; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually

From this reading “My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.”

unsatisfactory adjective US /ˌʌnsətɪˈsfæktəri/

not giving satisfaction

varied adjective US /ˈverid/

characterized by variety

From this reading “My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.”

All words in this reading · 61

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 I had studied medicine and law without being able to decide on either of the two careers; I had worked for a banker for six months, and my services were so unsatisfactory that I was obliged to resign to avoid being discharged.

ableadjectiveUS /ˈeɪbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

activeadjectiveUS /ˈæktɪv/

tending to become more severe or wider in scope

From this reading My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading My only treasure, after love, was reserve.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

avoidverbUS /əˈvɔɪd/

stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something

bankernounUS /ˈbæŋkər/

a financier who owns or is an executive in a bank

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.

careersnounUS /kərˈɪrz/

plural of “career” — the particular occupation for which you are trained

decideverbUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪd/

reach, make, or come to a decision about something

DESPAIRnounUS /dɪˈsper/

a state in which all hope is lost or absent

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

dischargedadjectiveUS /dɪsˈtʃɑːrdʒd/

having lost your job

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading I had no occupation.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

lawnounUS /lɔː/

the collection of rules imposed by authority

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading My only treasure, after love, was reserve.

medicinenounUS /ˈmedəsən/

the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques

memorynounUS /ˈmem.ər.i/

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.

From this reading My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/

plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading I had no occupation.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.

obligedadjectiveUS /əˈblaɪdʒd/

under a moral obligation to do something

occupationnounUS /ˌɑːkjəˈpeɪʃən/

the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money

From this reading I had no occupation.

occurredverbUS /əˈkɜːrd/

inflected form of “occur” — come to pass

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading My only treasure, after love, was reserve.

PATHnounUS /pæθ/

a course of conduct

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

questionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

reservenounUS /rɪˈzɜːrv/

formality and propriety of manner

From this reading My only treasure, after love, was reserve.

resignverbUS /rɪˈzaɪn/

leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily

retentiveadjective

good at remembering

From this reading My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.

servicesnounUS /ˈsɜːrvəsəz/

performance of duties or provision of space and equipment helpful to others

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

sixnounUS /sɪks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

studiedadjectiveUS /ˈstʌdid/

produced or marked by conscious design or premeditation

studiesnounUS /ˈstʌdiz/

plural of “study” — a detailed critical inspection

From this reading My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.

superficialadjectiveUS /ˌsuːpərˈfɪʃəl/

concerned with or comprehending only what is apparent or obvious; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually

From this reading My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

treasurenounUS /ˈtreʒər/

accumulated wealth in the form of money or jewels etc.

From this reading My only treasure, after love, was reserve.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

unsatisfactoryadjectiveUS /ˌʌnsətɪˈsfæktəri/

not giving satisfaction

variedadjectiveUS /ˈverid/

characterized by variety

From this reading My studies had been varied but superficial; my memory was active but not retentive.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading THE PATH OF DESPAIR The next morning the first question that occurred to my mind was: "What shall I do?"

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

workedverbUS /wɜːrkt/

past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

Chapter 3 of The Confession of a Child of the Century — Volume 1 by Alfred de Musset holds 97 sentences, grouped into 20 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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.

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Chapter 3 holds 97 sentences of The Confession of a Child of the Century — Volume 1, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The Confession of a Child of the Century — Volume 1 by Alfred de Musset exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 97 sentences, grouped into 20 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.

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Chapter III · Chapter 3

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