Chapter 2 of The Dangerous Age is here in full — 464 sentences across 93 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of The Dangerous Age is here in full — 464 sentences across 93 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me. Was she mad, or no? Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained. She saw--so she said--a grinning death's head behind every smiling face. Merely a bee in her bonnet!
Chapter 2 of The Dangerous Age is here in full — 464 sentences across 93 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/92 · 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.
any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading “Merely a bee in her bonnet!”
a hat tied under the chin
From this reading “Merely a bee in her bonnet!”
possessive form of “death” — the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading “She saw--so she said--a grinning death's head behind every smiling face.”
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading “She saw--so she said--a grinning death's head behind every smiling face.”
afflicted with or characteristic of mental derangement
From this reading “Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.”
being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate
From this reading “To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.”
the act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses
From this reading “Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.”
inflected form of “snap” — utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading “Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.”
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 Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading Merely a bee in her bonnet!
at or toward the back of something
From this reading She saw--so she said--a grinning death's head behind every smiling face.
a hat tied under the chin
From this reading Merely a bee in her bonnet!
the string of an archer's bow
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
possessive form of “death” — the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading She saw--so she said--a grinning death's head behind every smiling face.
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading She saw--so she said--a grinning death's head behind every smiling face.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading She saw--so she said--a grinning death's head behind every smiling face.
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading She saw--so she said--a grinning death's head behind every smiling face.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading She saw--so she said--a grinning death's head behind every smiling face.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Merely a bee in her bonnet!
afflicted with or characteristic of mental derangement
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
roused to anger
From this reading Was she mad, or no?
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
and nothing more
From this reading Merely a bee in her bonnet!
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
not any; not one
From this reading Was she mad, or no?
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
and nothing more
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading She saw--so she said--a grinning death's head behind every smiling face.
cut with a saw
From this reading She saw--so she said--a grinning death's head behind every smiling face.
being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
the act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Was she mad, or no?
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading She saw--so she said--a grinning death's head behind every smiling face.
inflected form of “snap” — utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She saw--so she said--a grinning death's head behind every smiling face.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
a source of difficulty
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
without doubt; certainly
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To me, Agatha Ussing's life or death are secondary matters; it is only the circumstances that trouble me.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Was she mad, or no?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Undoubtedly not more insane than the rest of us, but her self-control snapped like a bowstring which is overstrained.
Chapter 2 of The Dangerous Age by Karin Michaëlis holds 464 sentences, grouped into 93 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 2 holds 464 sentences of The Dangerous Age, unabridged, divided into 93 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of The Dangerous Age by Karin Michaëlis exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 464 sentences, grouped into 93 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 93 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 93 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 2 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 Dangerous Age by Karin Michaëlis on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2321 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #14187 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #14187, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 193 minutes of reading across 465 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Dangerous Age section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 5 chapters of The Dangerous Age 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 Dangerous Age, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
