Chapter 8 of The Kentons is here in full — 185 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of The Kentons is here in full — 185 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Or perhaps you just read prayers," Lottie sharply conjectured. "No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one. I'm a sort of a Unitarian. Very advanced, too, I'm afraid." "Is that a kind of Universalist?"
Chapter 8 of The Kentons is here in full — 185 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading “Very advanced, too, I'm afraid."”
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading “"No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one.”
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading “Very advanced, too, I'm afraid."”
plural of “prayer” — the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
From this reading “"Or perhaps you just read prayers," Lottie sharply conjectured.”
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading “"No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one.”
in an aggressive manner
From this reading “"Or perhaps you just read prayers," Lottie sharply conjectured.”
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading “I'm a sort of a Unitarian.”
adherent of Unitarianism
From this reading “I'm a sort of a Unitarian.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I'm a sort of a Unitarian.
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading Very advanced, too, I'm afraid."
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading "No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading Very advanced, too, I'm afraid."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Or perhaps you just read prayers," Lottie sharply conjectured.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'm a sort of a Unitarian.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Is that a kind of Universalist?"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one.
and nothing more
From this reading "Or perhaps you just read prayers," Lottie sharply conjectured.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading "Is that a kind of Universalist?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Or perhaps you just read prayers," Lottie sharply conjectured.
not any; not one
From this reading "No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I'm a sort of a Unitarian.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "Or perhaps you just read prayers," Lottie sharply conjectured.
by chance
From this reading "Or perhaps you just read prayers," Lottie sharply conjectured.
plural of “prayer” — the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
From this reading "Or perhaps you just read prayers," Lottie sharply conjectured.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading "Or perhaps you just read prayers," Lottie sharply conjectured.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading "No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one.
in an aggressive manner
From this reading "Or perhaps you just read prayers," Lottie sharply conjectured.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading I'm a sort of a Unitarian.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "No," he returned, "I haven't that advantage--if you think it one.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Very advanced, too, I'm afraid."
adherent of Unitarianism
From this reading I'm a sort of a Unitarian.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Is that a kind of Universalist?"
precisely as stated
From this reading Very advanced, too, I'm afraid."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Or perhaps you just read prayers," Lottie sharply conjectured.
Chapter 8 of The Kentons by William Dean Howells holds 185 sentences, grouped into 37 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 8 holds 185 sentences of The Kentons, unabridged, divided into 37 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of The Kentons by William Dean Howells exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 185 sentences, grouped into 37 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 37 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 37 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 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.
Common questions about reading The Kentons by William Dean Howells on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4483 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3362 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #3362, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 373 minutes of reading across 897 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Kentons section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 24 chapters of The Kentons to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Kentons, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
