The Honorable Miss Moonlight

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Honorable Miss Moonlight is here in full — 62 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Onoto Watanna • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for The Honorable Miss Moonlight

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.

Meekly the wise bride enters, with propitiating smiles and gifts, robed in her most inconspicuous gown, her aim being not to enhance whatever beauty she may possess, but, if possible, to hide it.

Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband.

It is even possible for the mother-in-law, for certain causes, to divorce the young wife.

Narrator

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LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter VIII Reading 1/12

The Honorable Miss Moonlight Onoto Watanna

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Honorable Miss Moonlight is here in full — 62 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law. Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady. Meekly the wise bride enters, with propitiating smiles and gifts, robed in her most inconspicuous gown, her aim being not to enhance whatever beauty she may possess, but, if possible, to hide it. Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband. It is even possible for the mother-in-law, for certain causes, to divorce the young wife.

The Honorable Miss Moonlight

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Honorable Miss Moonlight is here in full — 62 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/12 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

/ðə moʊst ˈdredɪd ˈmoʊmənt ʌv ə ˌdʒæpəˈniːz ɡɜːrlz laɪf ɪz wen ʃiː ˈentərz ðə haʊs ʌv ðə ˈmʌðərɪnlɔː/

Line 2

Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.

Line 3

Meekly the wise bride enters, with propitiating smiles and gifts, robed in her most inconspicuous gown, her aim being not to enhance whatever beauty she may possess, but, if possible, to hide it.

Line 4

Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband.

/fɑːr mɔːr ˈnesəseri ɪz ɪt fɔːr hɜːr tuː hæv ðə ˈɡʊˈdwɪl ʌv ðə ˈmʌðərɪnlɔː ðæn ðæt ʌv ðə ˈhʌzbənd/

Line 5

It is even possible for the mother-in-law, for certain causes, to divorce the young wife.

/ɪt ɪz ˈiːvɪn ˈpɑːsəbəl fɔːr ðə ˈmʌðərɪnlɔː fɔːr ˈsɜːrtən ˈkɑːzəz tuː dɪˈvɔːrs ðə jʌŋ waɪf/

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.

autocratic adjective US /ˌɔːtəˈkrætɪk/

offensively self-assured or given to exercising usually unwarranted power

From this reading “Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.”

divorce verb US /dɪˈvɔːrs/

part; cease or break association with

From this reading “It is even possible for the mother-in-law, for certain causes, to divorce the young wife.”

enhance verb US /enˈhæns/

increase

From this reading “Meekly the wise bride enters, with propitiating smiles and gifts, robed in her most inconspicuous gown, her aim being not to enhance whatever beauty she may possess, but, if possible, to hide it.”

goodwill noun US /ˈɡʊˈdwɪl/

(accounting) an intangible asset valued according to the advantage or reputation a business has acquired (over and above its tangible assets)

From this reading “Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband.”

inconspicuous adjective US /ˌɪŋˈkɑːnspɪkwəs/

not prominent or readily noticeable

Meekly adverb US /ˈmiːkli/

in a submissive or spiritless manner

mother-in-law noun US /ˈmʌðərɪnlɔː/

the mother of your spouse

From this reading “THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.”

robed adjective US /roʊbd/

dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination

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.

future happiness adjective + noun

In this reading “Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.”

most dreaded adverb + adjective

In this reading “THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.”

enters the house verb + article + noun counted as “enter … house”

In this reading “THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.”

Far more adverb + adjective

In this reading “Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband.”

young wife adjective + noun

In this reading “It is even possible for the mother-in-law, for certain causes, to divorce the young wife.”

All words in this reading · 65

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 THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

aimverbUS /eɪm/

point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards

From this reading Meekly the wise bride enters, with propitiating smiles and gifts, robed in her most inconspicuous gown, her aim being not to enhance whatever beauty she may possess, but, if possible, to hide it.

all-powerfuladjective

having unlimited power

From this reading Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.

autocraticadjectiveUS /ˌɔːtəˈkrætɪk/

offensively self-assured or given to exercising usually unwarranted power

From this reading Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.

beautynounUS /ˈbjuːti/

the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

bridenounUS /braɪd/

a woman who has recently been married

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

causesnounUS /ˈkɑːzəz/

plural of “cause” — events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading It is even possible for the mother-in-law, for certain causes, to divorce the young wife.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading It is even possible for the mother-in-law, for certain causes, to divorce the young wife.

divorceverbUS /dɪˈvɔːrs/

part; cease or break association with

From this reading It is even possible for the mother-in-law, for certain causes, to divorce the young wife.

dreadedadjectiveUS /ˈdredɪd/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

enhanceverbUS /enˈhæns/

increase

entersverbUS /ˈentərz/

third-person singular of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading It is even possible for the mother-in-law, for certain causes, to divorce the young wife.

FaradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband.

futureadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtʃər/

yet to be or coming

From this reading Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.

giftsnounUS /ɡɪfts/

plural of “gift” — something acquired without compensation

girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/

possessive form of “girl” — a young female

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

goodwillnounUS /ˈɡʊˈdwɪl/

(accounting) an intangible asset valued according to the advantage or reputation a business has acquired (over and above its tangible assets)

From this reading Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband.

gownnounUS /ɡaʊn/

a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions

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 Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.

happinessnounUS /ˈhæpinəs/

state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy

From this reading Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband.

HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.

hideverbUS /haɪd/

prevent from being seen or discovered

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.

inconspicuousadjectiveUS /ˌɪŋˈkɑːnspɪkwəs/

not prominent or readily noticeable

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

JapanesenounUS /ˌdʒæpəˈniːz/

a native or inhabitant of Japan

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

knowsnounUS /noʊz/

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.

ladynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

MeeklyadverbUS /ˈmiːkli/

in a submissive or spiritless manner

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

mother-in-lawnounUS /ˈmʌðərɪnlɔː/

the mother of your spouse

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

necessaryadjectiveUS /ˈnesəseri/

absolutely essential

From this reading Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

possessverbUS /pəˈzes/

have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

propitiating

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

robedadjectiveUS /roʊbd/

dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

smilesnounUS /smaɪlz/

plural of “smile” — a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Far more necessary is it for her to have the goodwill of the mother-in-law than that of the husband.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Her future happiness, she knows, is in the hands of this autocratic and all-powerful lady.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading THE most dreaded moment of a Japanese girl’s life is when she enters the house of the mother-in-law.

wifenounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading It is even possible for the mother-in-law, for certain causes, to divorce the young wife.

wiseadjectiveUS /waɪz/

having or prompted by wisdom or discernment

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading It is even possible for the mother-in-law, for certain causes, to divorce the young wife.

Chapter 8 of The Honorable Miss Moonlight by Onoto Watanna holds 62 sentences, grouped into 13 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 8 of The Honorable Miss Moonlight contain?

Chapter 8 holds 62 sentences of The Honorable Miss Moonlight, unabridged, divided into 13 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of The Honorable Miss Moonlight by Onoto Watanna exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 62 sentences, grouped into 13 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 8 of The Honorable Miss Moonlight?

Work through the 13 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 13 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Honorable Miss Moonlight

Common questions about reading The Honorable Miss Moonlight by Onoto Watanna on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Honorable Miss Moonlight?

Yes. All 2202 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #58091 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Honorable Miss Moonlight is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #58091, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Honorable Miss Moonlight take to read?

About 183 minutes of reading across 441 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Honorable Miss Moonlight

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

Sultry: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Honorable Miss Moonlight; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Season: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Honorable Miss Moonlight; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Little: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Honorable Miss Moonlight; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
All-encompassing: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Honorable Miss Moonlight; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter VIII

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Vocabulary met early in The Honorable Miss Moonlight