Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910)
The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910)

Chapter VI · Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910) is here in full — 1033 sentences across 207 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910)
Context Illustration Reading 1/206 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE CYNOSURE.
It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!
What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!
It's really a singular thing!
Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.
0:00 / 0:00
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.

The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910)

Chapter VI · Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910) is here in full — 1033 sentences across 207 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/206 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE CYNOSURE.
/ðə ˈsaɪnɔːsɜːr/
Line 2
It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!
Line 3
What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!
Line 4
It's really a singular thing!
Line 5
Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

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.

acclaim verb US /əˈkleɪm/

praise vociferously

From this reading “Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.”

acquisition noun US /ˌækwəˈzɪʃən/

the act of contracting or assuming or acquiring possession of something

From this reading “Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.”

cynosure noun US /ˈsaɪnɔːsɜːr/

something that provides guidance (as Polaris guides mariners)

From this reading “THE CYNOSURE.”

hardest adverb US /ˈhɑːrdəst/

superlative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor

From this reading “It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!”

imposed adjective US /ˌɪmˈpoʊzd/

set forth authoritatively as obligatory

From this reading “It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!”

proven adjective US /ˈpruːvən/

established beyond doubt

From this reading “Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.”

tribute noun US /ˈtrɪbjuːt/

something given or done as an expression of esteem

From this reading “What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!”

wonderment noun US /ˈwʌndərmənt/

the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising

From this reading “What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!”

All words in this reading · 74

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 It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

acclaimverbUS /əˈkleɪm/

praise vociferously

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

acquisitionnounUS /ˌækwəˈzɪʃən/

the act of contracting or assuming or acquiring possession of something

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

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 What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

askverbUS /æsk/

make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

bringverbUS /brɪŋ/

take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

cautiousadjectiveUS /ˈkɔːʃəs/

showing careful forethought

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

commonest

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

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

CYNOSUREnounUS /ˈsaɪnɔːsɜːr/

something that provides guidance (as Polaris guides mariners)

From this reading THE CYNOSURE.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

fillverbUS /fɪl/

make full, also in a metaphorical sense

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

fitlyadverb

in accordance with what is appropriate or suitable for the circumstances

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

hardestadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdəst/

superlative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

holdverbUS /hoʊld/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

imposedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpoʊzd/

set forth authoritatively as obligatory

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

Isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

Isabel

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

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

It's

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

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

knowledgenounUS /ˈnɑːlədʒ/

the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

labornounUS /ˈleɪbər/

a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

millionnounUS /ˈmɪljən/

the number that is represented as a one followed by 6 zeros

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

performedverbUS /pərˈfɔːrmd/

past form of “perform” — carry out or perform an action

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

Porne

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

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

properlyadverbUS /ˈprɑːpərli/

in the right manner; correctly; suitably

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

provenadjectiveUS /ˈpruːvən/

established beyond doubt

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

racenounUS /reɪs/

any competition

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading It's really a singular thing!

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

seldomadverbUS /ˈseldəm/

not often

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

singverbUS /sɪŋ/

deliver by singing

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

singularadjectiveUS /ˈsɪŋɡjələr/

unusual or striking

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

skillnounUS /skɪl/

an ability that has been acquired by training

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

stareverbUS /ster/

look at with fixed eyes

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

tasknounUS /tæsk/

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE CYNOSURE.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

tributenounUS /ˈtrɪbjuːt/

something given or done as an expression of esteem

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

valuenounUS /ˈvæljuː/

a numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It's a singular thing that the commonest place Is the hardest to properly fill; That the labor imposed on a full half the race Is so seldom performed with good will-- To say nothing of knowledge or skill!

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Isabel Porne was a cautious woman, and made no acclaim over her new acquisition until its value was proven.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

wondermentnounUS /ˈwʌndərmənt/

the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising

From this reading What we ask of all women, we stare at in one, And tribute of wonderment bring; If this task of the million is once fitly done We all hold our hands up and sing!

Chapter 6 of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910) by Charlotte Perkins [Editor] Gilman holds 1033 sentences, grouped into 207 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.

What does chapter 6 of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910) contain?

Chapter 6 holds 1033 sentences of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910), unabridged, divided into 207 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 6 of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910) by Charlotte Perkins [Editor] Gilman exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 1033 sentences, grouped into 207 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 6 of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910)?

Work through the 207 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 207 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 6 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 6 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 Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910)

Common questions about reading The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910) by Charlotte Perkins [Editor] Gilman on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910)?

Yes. All 15474 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3017 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910) is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3017, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910) take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 3095 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910) section by section

How to work through The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910) section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 13 chapters of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910) 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 Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910)

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Partner
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Patron
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Helpless
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hapless
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Forerunner, Volume 1 (1909-1910); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.