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The Lights and Shadows of Real Life
The Lights and Shadows of Real Life

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Lights and Shadows of Real Life is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.
Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.
When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.
While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.
He trusted to nature and a good cause, and did not trust in vain.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Lights and Shadows of Real Life

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Lights and Shadows of Real Life is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.
/ə ˈsʌni smaɪl pæst ˈoʊvər ðə bəˈnevələnt ˈkaʊntənəns ʌv ðə frend æz hiː ˈheɪstəli left ðə ruːm/
Line 2
Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.
/ˈmɪsɪz ˈloʊɡən wɔːrn daʊn baɪ ɪɡˈzɔːstɪŋ ˈleɪbər hæd æt læst bɪn fɔːrst tuː ɡɪv ʌp/
Line 3
When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.
/wen ʃiː dɪd ɡɪv ʌp ˈevəri lɔːŋ streɪnd nɜːrv ʌv maɪnd ənd ˈbɑːdi ˈɪnstəntli rɪˈlækst ənd ʃiː bɪˈkeɪm ˈɔːlmoʊst æz wiːk ənd ˈhelpləs æz æn ˈɪnfənt/
Line 4
While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.
Line 5
He trusted to nature and a good cause, and did not trust in vain.
/hiː ˈtrʌstɪd tuː ˈneɪtʃər ənd ə ɡʊd kɑːz ənd dɪd nɑːt trʌst ɪn veɪn/

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.

accidentally adverb US /ˌæksəˈdentəli/

without advance planning

From this reading “While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.”

benevolent adjective US /bəˈnevələnt/

intending or showing kindness

From this reading “A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.”

exhausting adjective US /ɪɡˈzɔːstɪŋ/

having a debilitating effect

From this reading “Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.”

infant noun US /ˈɪnfənt/

a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading “When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.”

Logan noun US /ˈloʊɡən/

a mountain peak in the St. Elias Range in the southwestern Yukon Territory in Canada (19,850 feet high)

From this reading “Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.”

nerve noun US /nɜːrv/

any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body

From this reading “When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.”

relaxed adjective US /rɪˈlækst/

without strain or anxiety

From this reading “When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.”

strained adjective US /streɪnd/

lacking natural ease

From this reading “When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.”

All words in this reading · 79

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 A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

accidentallyadverbUS /ˌæksəˈdentəli/

without advance planning

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

attacknounUS /əˈtæk/

(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

awareadjectiveUS /əˈwer/

(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

benevolentadjectiveUS /bəˈnevələnt/

intending or showing kindness

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

causenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading He trusted to nature and a good cause, and did not trust in vain.

countenancenounUS /ˈkaʊntənəns/

the appearance conveyed by a person's face

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

exhaustingadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzɔːstɪŋ/

having a debilitating effect

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/

possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

feelingsnounUS /ˈfiːlɪŋz/

emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

forcedadjectiveUS /fɔːrst/

produced by or subjected to forcing

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

FriendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading He trusted to nature and a good cause, and did not trust in vain.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

hastilyadverbUS /ˈheɪstəli/

in a hurried or hasty manner

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

helplessadjectiveUS /ˈhelpləs/

lacking in or deprived of strength or power

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

infantnounUS /ˈɪnfənt/

a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

instantlyadverbUS /ˈɪnstəntli/

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

kind-heartedadjective

having or proceeding from an innately kind disposition

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

labornounUS /ˈleɪbər/

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

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

LogannounUS /ˈloʊɡən/

a mountain peak in the St. Elias Range in the southwestern Yukon Territory in Canada (19,850 feet high)

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

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 When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading He trusted to nature and a good cause, and did not trust in vain.

nervenounUS /nɜːrv/

any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He trusted to nature and a good cause, and did not trust in vain.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

relaxedadjectiveUS /rɪˈlækst/

without strain or anxiety

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

smileverbUS /smaɪl/

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

statenounUS /steɪt/

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

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

strainedadjectiveUS /streɪnd/

lacking natural ease

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

successfuladjectiveUS /səkˈsesfəl/

having succeeded or being marked by a favorable outcome

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

sunnyadjectiveUS /ˈsʌni/

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A sunny smile passed over the benevolent countenance of the Friend as he hastily left the room.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

trustnounUS /trʌst/

something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)

From this reading He trusted to nature and a good cause, and did not trust in vain.

trustedadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌstɪd/

(of persons) worthy of trust or confidence

From this reading He trusted to nature and a good cause, and did not trust in vain.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

vainadjectiveUS /veɪn/

characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance

From this reading He trusted to nature and a good cause, and did not trust in vain.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

weakadjectiveUS /wiːk/

wanting in physical strength

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When she did give up, every long strained nerve of mind and body instantly relaxed; and she became almost as weak and helpless as an infant.

WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading While in this state, she was accidentally discovered by the kind-hearted old Friend, who, without her being aware of what he was going to do, made his successful attack upon her father's feelings.

wornverbUS /wɔːrn/

Damaged or thinned by continuous use.

From this reading Mrs. Logan, worn down by exhausting labor, had at last been forced to give up.

Chapter 20 of The Lights and Shadows of Real Life by T. S. (Timothy Shay) Arthur holds 409 sentences, grouped into 82 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 20 of The Lights and Shadows of Real Life contain?

Chapter 20 holds 409 sentences of The Lights and Shadows of Real Life, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of The Lights and Shadows of Real Life by T. S. (Timothy Shay) Arthur exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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 20 of The Lights and Shadows of Real Life?

Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 82 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 Lights and Shadows of Real Life

Common questions about reading The Lights and Shadows of Real Life by T. S. (Timothy Shay) Arthur on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Yes. All 10502 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4627 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #4627, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

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About 600 minutes of reading across 2101 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Lights and Shadows of Real Life

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Lights and Shadows of Real Life, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Lights
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Lights and Shadows of Real Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Shadows
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Lights and Shadows of Real Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Arthur
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Lights and Shadows of Real Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Preface
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Lights and Shadows of Real Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.