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The Counterplot
The Counterplot

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of The Counterplot is here in full — 175 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/35 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.
It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.
As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.
Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.
It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Counterplot

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of The Counterplot is here in full — 175 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/35 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.
Line 2
It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.
/ɪt wɑːz ðə fɜːrst taɪm tərˈiːsə hæd siːn ðem təˈɡeðər sɪns ðer enˈɡeɪdʒmənt ənd ðer riˈleɪʃənʃɪp wɑːz soʊ ˈkʌmfərtəbəl ənd ˈɪntəmət ðæt tuː hɜːr ɪt ˈɔːlmoʊst smækt ʌv ˈɪnsest/
Line 3
As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.
Line 4
Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.
Line 5
It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

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.

Concha noun US /ˈkɑːntʃə/

(anatomy) a structure that resembles a shell in shape

From this reading “Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.”

glories noun US /ˈɡlɔːriz/

plural of “glory” — a state of high honor

From this reading “It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.”

incest noun US /ˈɪnsest/

sexual intercourse between persons too closely related to marry (as between a parent and a child)

From this reading “It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.”

smacked verb US /smækt/

past form of “smack” — deliver a hard blow to

From this reading “It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.”

sulked verb US /sʌlkt/

past form of “sulk” — be in a huff and display one's displeasure

From this reading “It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.”

Teresa noun US /tərˈiːsə/

Indian nun and missionary in the Roman Catholic Church (born of Albanian parents in what is now Macedonia); dedicated to helping the poor in India (1910-1997)

From this reading “It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.”

uncompromising adjective US /ənˈkɑːmprəmaɪzɪŋ/

not making concessions

From this reading “As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.”

undo verb US /ənˈduː/

cancel, annul, or reverse an action or its effect

From this reading “As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.”

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.

once more adverb + adjective

anew

In this reading “As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.”

two months noun + noun counted as “two month”

In this reading “As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.”

first time adjective + noun

In this reading “It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.”

towards the end preposition + article + noun counted as “towards … end”

In this reading “Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.”

came down verb + adjective counted as “come down”

move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way

In this reading “Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.”

got back verb + particle counted as “get back”

recover something or somebody that appeared to be lost

In this reading “Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.”

past two noun + noun

In this reading “As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.”

All words in this reading · 94

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 Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

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 As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

AnnanounUS /ˈænə/

a former copper coin of Pakistan and India

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

AprilnounUS /ˈeɪprəl/

the month following March and preceding May

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

ArnoldnounUS /ˈɑːrnəld/

English poet and literary critic (1822-1888)

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

attitudenounUS /ˈætətuːd/

a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

bitteradjectiveUS /ˈbɪtər/

marked by strong resentment or cynicism

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

burstingverbUS /ˈbɜːrstɪŋ/

-ing form of “burst” — come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

comfortableadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbəl/

providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

ConchanounUS /ˈkɑːntʃə/

(anatomy) a structure that resembles a shell in shape

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

DavidnounUS /ˈdeɪvɪd/

patron saint of Wales (circa 520-600)

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

Doña

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

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

Drumsheugh

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

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

EasternounUS /ˈiːstər/

a Christian celebration of the Resurrection of Christ; celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

engagementnounUS /enˈɡeɪdʒmənt/

a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

fleshnounUS /fleʃ/

the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

gloriesnounUS /ˈɡlɔːriz/

plural of “glory” — a state of high honor

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

HarryverbUS /ˈheri/

annoy continually or chronically

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

holidaysnounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪz/

plural of “holiday” — leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

incestnounUS /ˈɪnsest/

sexual intercourse between persons too closely related to marry (as between a parent and a child)

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

intimateadjectiveUS /ˈɪntəmət/

marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

JaspernounUS /ˈdʒæspər/

an opaque form of quartz; red or yellow or brown or dark green in color; used for ornamentation or as a gemstone

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/

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

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

partynounUS /ˈpɑːrti/

an organization to gain political power

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

Plasencia

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

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

presencenounUS /ˈprezəns/

the state of being present; current existence

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

questionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

reconciliatory

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

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

relationshipnounUS /riˈleɪʃənʃɪp/

a relation between people; (“relationship” is often used where “relation” would serve, as in `the relationship between inflation and unemployment', but the preferred usage of “relationship” is for human relations or states of relatedness)

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

Rory

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

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

ScotlandnounUS /ˈskɑːtlənd/

one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; located on the northern part of the island of Great Britain; famous for bagpipes and plaids and kilts

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

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

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

smackedverbUS /smækt/

past form of “smack” — deliver a hard blow to

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

sulkedverbUS /sʌlkt/

past form of “sulk” — be in a huff and display one's displeasure

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

TeresanounUS /tərˈiːsə/

Indian nun and missionary in the Roman Catholic Church (born of Albanian parents in what is now Macedonia); dedicated to helping the poor in India (1910-1997)

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading Anna and Jasper came to Plasencia for their Easter holidays, and towards the end of April Concha and Rory got back from Scotland.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

uncompromisingadjectiveUS /ənˈkɑːmprəmaɪzɪŋ/

not making concessions

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

undoverbUS /ənˈduː/

cancel, annul, or reverse an action or its effect

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was the first time Teresa had seen them together since their engagement, and their relationship was so comfortable and intimate that, to her, it almost smacked of incest.

week-end

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

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Harry and Arnold came down for the last “week-end” in April; so they were now quite a big party again, and Teresa did not see so much of David.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It was dear that Concha was bursting with the glories of Drumsheugh; but she had no one to tell them to; the Doña and Teresa were out of the question, and Arnold had sulked with her ever since her engagement.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading As to the Doña, the presence of Rory in the flesh seemed to undo all the reconciliatory work of the past two months, and her attitude once more became uncompromising, her heart bitter and heavy.

Chapter 9 of The Counterplot by Hope Mirrlees holds 175 sentences, grouped into 35 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 9 of The Counterplot contain?

Chapter 9 holds 175 sentences of The Counterplot, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of The Counterplot by Hope Mirrlees exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 175 sentences, grouped into 35 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 9 of The Counterplot?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 Counterplot

Common questions about reading The Counterplot by Hope Mirrlees on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Counterplot?

Yes. All 4747 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #63935 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Counterplot is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #63935, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Counterplot take to read?

About 395 minutes of reading across 950 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Counterplot section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 13 chapters of The Counterplot 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 Counterplot

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

Characters
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Counterplot; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Might
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Counterplot; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Display
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Counterplot; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Properly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Counterplot; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.