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The Girl Next Door
The Girl Next Door

Chapter XV

Chapter 15 of The Girl Next Door is here in full — 129 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Augusta Huiell Seaman • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Girl Next Door
Context Illustration Reading 1/25 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."
"What's Amoy, anyway?" demanded Marcia.
"It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.
Then there's the date of this wedding.
Somebody might possibly remember it.
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 Girl Next Door

Chapter XV

Chapter 15 of The Girl Next Door is here in full — 129 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."
Line 2
"What's Amoy, anyway?" demanded Marcia.
Line 3
"It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.
Line 4
Then there's the date of this wedding.
Line 5
Somebody might possibly remember it.
/ˈsʌmbɑːdi maɪt ˈpɑːsəbli rɪˈmɛm.bər ɪt/

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.

anyway adverb US /ˈeniweɪ/

used to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous statement

From this reading “"What's Amoy, anyway?" demanded Marcia.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
China noun US /ˈtʃaɪnə/

a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world

From this reading “"It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
date noun US /deɪt/

the specified day of the month

From this reading “PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
province noun US /ˈprɑːvəns/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading “"It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
puzzling adjective US /ˈpʌzəlɪŋ/

not clear to the understanding

From this reading “PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seaport noun US /ˈsiːpɔːrt/

a sheltered port where ships can take on or discharge cargo

From this reading “"It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Sept noun US /sept/

the month following August and preceding October

From this reading “PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wedding noun US /ˈwedɪŋ/

the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed

From this reading “Then there's the date of this wedding.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

went on verb + particle counted as “go on”

continue a certain state, condition, or activity

In this reading “PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."”

241,940 times in 225,867 chapters
hold on verb + particle

hold firmly

In this reading “PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."”

14,513 times in 225,867 chapters
in the province preposition + article + noun counted as “in … province”

In this reading “"It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.”

2,227 times in 225,867 chapters
begin with verb + particle

In this reading “PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."”

16,408 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 54

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.

1889

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

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Pending verification
25

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

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Pending verification
adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Amoynoun

any of the forms of Chinese spoken in Fukien province

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
anywayadverbUS /ˈeniweɪ/

used to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous statement

From this reading "What's Amoy, anyway?" demanded Marcia.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beginverbUS /bɪˈɡɪn/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Brett

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

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Pending verification
CaptainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ChinanounUS /ˈtʃaɪnə/

a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world

From this reading "It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
datenounUS /deɪt/

the specified day of the month

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
demandedverbUS /dɪˈmændəd/

past form of “demand” — request urgently and forcefully

From this reading "What's Amoy, anyway?" demanded Marcia.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Fu-kien

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

From this reading "It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.

Pending verification
holdverbUS /hoʊld/

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

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
I've

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

From this reading "It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.

Pending verification
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ITpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
It's

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

From this reading "It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.

Pending verification
Janet

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

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Pending verification
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

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

From this reading "It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading "It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Marcia

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

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Pending verification
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Somebody might possibly remember it.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading "It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OUTadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pausenounUS /pɔːz/

a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
possiblyadverbUS /ˈpɑːsəbli/

by chance

From this reading Somebody might possibly remember it.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
provincenounUS /ˈprɑːvəns/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading "It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PUZZLINGadjectiveUS /ˈpʌzəlɪŋ/

not clear to the understanding

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading Somebody might possibly remember it.

Velmora curated lexicon
seaportnounUS /ˈsiːpɔːrt/

a sheltered port where ships can take on or discharge cargo

From this reading "It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SeptnounUS /sept/

the month following August and preceding October

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SomebodypronounUS /ˈsʌmbɑːdi/

a person, without saying who

From this reading Somebody might possibly remember it.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading "It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then there's the date of this wedding.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading "It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
there's

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

From this reading Then there's the date of this wedding.

Pending verification
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Then there's the date of this wedding.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading "It's a large seaport in the province of Fu-kien, China, and I've stopped there many a time myself.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tryingadjectiveUS /ˈtraɪɪŋ/

hard to endure

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
we've

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

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Pending verification
weddingnounUS /ˈwedɪŋ/

the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed

From this reading Then there's the date of this wedding.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
What's

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

From this reading "What's Amoy, anyway?" demanded Marcia.

Pending verification
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading PUZZLING IT OUT "To begin with," Captain Brett went on after a long and (to Janet and Marcia) very trying pause, "we've something to hold on to in just the date--Sept 25, 1889--and Amoy."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 15 of The Girl Next Door by Augusta Huiell Seaman holds 129 sentences, grouped into 26 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 15 of The Girl Next Door contain?

Chapter 15 holds 129 sentences of The Girl Next Door, unabridged, divided into 26 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of The Girl Next Door by Augusta Huiell Seaman exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 129 sentences, grouped into 26 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 15 of The Girl Next Door?

Work through the 26 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 26 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 Girl Next Door

Common questions about reading The Girl Next Door by Augusta Huiell Seaman on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Girl Next Door?

Yes. All 2824 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #39896 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Girl Next Door is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #39896, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Girl Next Door take to read?

About 235 minutes of reading across 565 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Girl Next Door section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of The Girl Next Door 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 Girl Next Door

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

Marcia's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Girl Next Door; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Secret
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Girl Next Door; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Marcia
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Girl Next Door; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Brett
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Girl Next Door; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.