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The Human Interest
The Human Interest

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of The Human Interest is here in full — 317 sentences across 64 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/63 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Mrs. Elles had arrived at Rokeby on a Monday.
When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.
But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.
Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.
The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Human Interest

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of The Human Interest is here in full — 317 sentences across 64 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/63 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Mrs. Elles had arrived at Rokeby on a Monday.
Line 2
When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.
/wen ˈsʌndeɪ keɪm raʊnd ʃiː hæd bɪn priˈperd fɔːr ðə ˈjuːʒəwəl ˈflaɪɪŋ ɪn ðə feɪs ʌv ˈfɪləstiːn ˈkʌstəm ənd əbˈzɜːrvəns ðæt prɪˈveɪld ɪn hɜːr oʊn ˈsɜːrkəl ənd ˌɪˈmædʒənd ðæt ðə ˈɑːrtəst wʊd ɡoʊ aʊt tuː peɪnt æz ˈjuːʒəwəl ɔːr pərˈhæps æz ə kənˈseʃən tuː ˈpɑːpjələr ˈpredʒədɪs steɪ ənd wɜːrk ˈɪndɔːrz/
Line 3
But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.
Line 4
Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.
/ˈmɪstər ˈrɪvərz ɪt siːmd wɑːz ɪn ðə ˈhæbət ʌv ˈɡoʊɪŋ tuː tʃɜːrtʃ ˈevəri ˈsʌndeɪ ənd wen ʃiː dɪˈskʌvərd ðɪs ɪt hæd siːmd kwaɪt ˈnætʃərəl tuː ɡoʊ wɪð hɪm ðoʊ ɪt wɑːz ðə fɜːrst taɪm ʃiː hæd bɪn ˌɪnˈsaɪd ðə wɔːlz ʌv ə tʃɜːrtʃ sɪns hɜːr ˈmerɪdʒ/
Line 5
The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

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.

complacent adjective US /kəmˈpleɪsənt/

contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions

From this reading “But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.”

concession noun US /kənˈseʃən/

a contract granting the right to operate a subsidiary business

From this reading “When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.”

Gothic adjective US /ˈɡɑːθɪk/

characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German

From this reading “The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.”

indoors adverb US /ˈɪndɔːrz/

within a building

From this reading “When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.”

Litany noun US /ˈlɪtəni/

any long and tedious address or recital

From this reading “But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.”

observance noun US /əbˈzɜːrvəns/

the act of observing; taking a patient look

From this reading “When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.”

Philistine noun US /ˈfɪləstiːn/

a person who is uninterested in intellectual pursuits

From this reading “When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.”

plaster verb US /ˈplæstər/

apply a heavy coat to

From this reading “The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.”

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.

parish church noun + noun

In this reading “But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.”

intense surprise adjective + noun

In this reading “But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.”

arrived at verb + particle counted as “arrive at”

reach a destination, either real or abstract

In this reading “Mrs. Elles had arrived at Rokeby on a Monday.”

first time adjective + noun

In this reading “Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.”

beautiful specimen adjective + noun

In this reading “The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.”

quite natural adverb + adjective

In this reading “Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.”

most natural adverb + adjective

In this reading “The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.”

go out verb + adjective

move out of or depart from

In this reading “When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.”

All words in this reading · 116

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 Mrs. Elles had arrived at Rokeby on a Monday.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

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 The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

amusementnounUS /əˈmjuːzmənt/

a feeling of delight at being entertained

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

arrivedverbUS /ərˈaɪvd/

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading Mrs. Elles had arrived at Rokeby on a Monday.

artistnounUS /ˈɑːrtəst/

a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Mrs. Elles had arrived at Rokeby on a Monday.

backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/

a person's social heritage: previous experience or training

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

churchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

circlenounUS /ˈsɜːrkəl/

ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

complacentadjectiveUS /kəmˈpleɪsənt/

contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

concessionnounUS /kənˈseʃən/

a contract granting the right to operate a subsidiary business

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

customnounUS /ˈkʌstəm/

accepted or habitual practice

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

elevenadjectiveUS /ɪˈlevən/

being one more than ten

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

Elles

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

From this reading Mrs. Elles had arrived at Rokeby on a Monday.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

farmersnounUS /ˈfɑːrmərz/

plural of “farmer” — a person who operates a farm

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

figurenounUS /ˈfɪɡjər/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

flyingadjectiveUS /ˈflaɪɪŋ/

moving swiftly

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

GothicadjectiveUS /ˈɡɑːθɪk/

characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

gravenounUS /ɡreɪv/

death of a person

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

habitnounUS /ˈhæbət/

an established custom

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Mrs. Elles had arrived at Rokeby on a Monday.

handsomeadjectiveUS /ˈhænsəm/

pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

imaginedverbUS /ˌɪˈmædʒənd/

past form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

indoorsadverbUS /ˈɪndɔːrz/

within a building

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

insideadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsaɪd/

relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

intenseadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtens/

possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

LitanynounUS /ˈlɪtəni/

any long and tedious address or recital

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

marriagenounUS /ˈmerɪdʒ/

the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

MondaynounUS /ˈmʌndi/

the second day of the week; the first working day

From this reading Mrs. Elles had arrived at Rokeby on a Monday.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading Mrs. Elles had arrived at Rokeby on a Monday.

murmuringnounUS /ˈmɜːrmərɪŋ/

a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

naturaladjectiveUS /ˈnætʃərəl/

in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

observancenounUS /əbˈzɜːrvəns/

the act of observing; taking a patient look

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Mrs. Elles had arrived at Rokeby on a Monday.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

paintverbUS /peɪnt/

make a painting

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

parishnounUS /ˈpærɪʃ/

a local church community

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

PhilistinenounUS /ˈfɪləstiːn/

a person who is uninterested in intellectual pursuits

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

picturesqueadjectiveUS /ˈpɪktʃərəsk/

suggesting or suitable for a picture; pretty as a picture

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

placidadjectiveUS /ˈplæsəd/

(of a body of water) free from disturbance by heavy waves

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

plasterverbUS /ˈplæstər/

apply a heavy coat to

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

popularadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːpjələr/

regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially by the general public

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

prejudicenounUS /ˈpredʒədɪs/

a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

preparedadjectiveUS /priˈperd/

made ready or fit or suitable beforehand

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

prevailedverbUS /prɪˈveɪld/

past form of “prevail” — be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

pureadjectiveUS /pjʊr/

free of extraneous elements of any kind

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

relievedadjectiveUS /rɪˈliːvd/

(of pain or sorrow) made easier to bear

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

RiversnounUS /ˈrɪvərz/

plural of “river” — a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

Rokeby

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

From this reading Mrs. Elles had arrived at Rokeby on a Monday.

roundnounUS /raʊnd/

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

servicenounUS /ˈsɜːrvəs/

work done by one person or group that benefits another

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

specimennounUS /ˈspesəmən/

an example regarded as typical of its class

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

standingadjectiveUS /ˈstændɪŋ/

having a supporting base

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

stayverbUS /steɪ/

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

SundaynounUS /ˈsʌndeɪ/

first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

Sunday-bedizened

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

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

surprisenounUS /sərˈpraɪz/

the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

unblunted

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

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

wallsnounUS /wɔːlz/

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading The service, to her mind unblunted by custom, seemed very picturesque; so was the church, a beautiful specimen of pure early Gothic, and the figure of this grave, handsome man, standing by her side, with his dark head relieved against the white plaster background, most natural of all.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Mr. Rivers, it seemed, was in the habit of going to church every Sunday, and, when she discovered this, it had seemed quite natural to go with him, though it was the first time she had been inside the walls of a church since her marriage.

wivesnounUS /waɪvz/

plural of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading But to her intense surprise and amusement, eleven o’clock on Sunday morning found her murmuring the Litany by the side of the artist in the parish church, among the placid farmers and their complacent, Sunday-bedizened wives.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading When Sunday came round, she had been prepared for the usual flying in the face of Philistine custom and observance that prevailed in her own circle and imagined that the artist would go out to paint as usual or perhaps as a concession to popular prejudice stay and work indoors.

Chapter 5 of The Human Interest by Violet Hunt holds 317 sentences, grouped into 64 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 5 of The Human Interest contain?

Chapter 5 holds 317 sentences of The Human Interest, unabridged, divided into 64 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of The Human Interest by Violet Hunt exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 317 sentences, grouped into 64 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 5 of The Human Interest?

Work through the 64 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 64 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Human Interest

Common questions about reading The Human Interest by Violet Hunt on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Human Interest?

Yes. All 4174 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #58526 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Human Interest is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #58526, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Human Interest take to read?

About 347 minutes of reading across 835 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Human Interest section by section

How to work through The Human Interest section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 16 chapters of The Human Interest 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 Human Interest

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Human Interest, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Afternoon--and
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Human Interest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Summer--a
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Human Interest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
London
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Human Interest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Authoress
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Human Interest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.