Chapter 18 of The Daughters of Danaus is here in full — 158 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVIII
Chapter 18 of The Daughters of Danaus is here in full — 158 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought." "I can never resist fascinations, Lady Engleton." "Do you ever try?" "My life is spent in the endeavour." "How foolish!"
Chapter 18 of The Daughters of Danaus is here in full — 158 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/31 · 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 purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness)
From this reading “"My life is spent in the endeavour."”
devoid of good sense or judgment
From this reading “"How foolish!"”
someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university
From this reading “"Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."”
elude, especially in a baffling way
From this reading “"Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."”
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading “"My life is spent in the endeavour."”
comparative of “stern” — of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
From this reading “"Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."”
the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object
From this reading “"Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."”
make an effort or attempt
From this reading “"Do you ever try?"”
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.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "I can never resist fascinations, Lady Engleton."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Do you ever try?"
a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness)
From this reading "My life is spent in the endeavour."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I can never resist fascinations, Lady Engleton."
at any time
From this reading "Do you ever try?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
devoid of good sense or judgment
From this reading "How foolish!"
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "How foolish!"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "My life is spent in the endeavour."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "My life is spent in the endeavour."
a polite name for any woman
From this reading "I can never resist fascinations, Lady Engleton."
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading "My life is spent in the endeavour."
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "My life is spent in the endeavour."
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "I can never resist fascinations, Lady Engleton."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
elude, especially in a baffling way
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading "My life is spent in the endeavour."
comparative of “stern” — of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
make an effort or attempt
From this reading "Do you ever try?"
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Professor Theobald, if you are able to resist the fascinations of this old house you are made of sterner stuff than I thought."
Chapter 18 of The Daughters of Danaus by Mona Caird holds 158 sentences, grouped into 32 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 18 holds 158 sentences of The Daughters of Danaus, unabridged, divided into 32 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 18 of The Daughters of Danaus by Mona Caird exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 158 sentences, grouped into 32 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 32 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 32 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 18 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 Daughters of Danaus by Mona Caird on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 9732 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21858 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21858, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1947 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Daughters of Danaus section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Daughters of Danaus 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 Daughters of Danaus, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
