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The Little Demon
The Little Demon

Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of The Little Demon is here in full — 318 sentences across 64 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Little Demon
Context Illustration Reading 1/63 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Volodin went punctually to the Adamenkos to give his lessons.
His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.
Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.
Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.
He did obediently but unwillingly all that Volodin told him to do.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Little Demon

Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of The Little Demon is here in full — 318 sentences across 64 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
Volodin went punctually to the Adamenkos to give his lessons.
Line 2
His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.
/hɪz hoʊps ðæt ðə jʌŋ ˈwʊmən wʊd ˌɪnˈvaɪt hɪm tuː teɪk ˈkɑːfi wɜːr nɑːt ˈriːəlaɪzd/
Line 3
Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.
/iːtʃ taɪm hiː keɪm hiː wɑːz ˈteɪkən streɪt tuː ðə ˈlɪtəl ˈʃænti juːzd fɔːr ˈkɑːrpəntri/
Line 4
Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.
Line 5
He did obediently but unwillingly all that Volodin told him to do.

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.

apron noun US /ˈeɪprən/

a garment of cloth or leather or plastic that is tied about the waist and worn to protect your clothing

From this reading “Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.”

carpentry noun US /ˈkɑːrpəntri/

the craft of a carpenter: making things out of wood

From this reading “Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.”

invite verb US /ˌɪnˈvaɪt/

increase the likelihood of

From this reading “His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.”

linen noun US /ˈlɪnən/

a fabric woven with fibers from the flax plant

From this reading “Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.”

obediently adverb US /oʊˈbiːdiəntli/

in an obedient manner

From this reading “He did obediently but unwillingly all that Volodin told him to do.”

realised adjective US /ˈriːəlaɪzd/

successfully completed or brought to an end

From this reading “His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.”

shanty noun US /ˈʃænti/

small crude shelter used as a dwelling

From this reading “Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.”

unwillingly adverb US /ənˈwɪlɪŋli/

in an unwilling manner

From this reading “He did obediently but unwillingly all that Volodin told him to do.”

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.

young woman adjective + noun

a young female

In this reading “His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.”

got ready verb + adjective counted as “get ready”

In this reading “Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.”

stood in verb + particle

In this reading “Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.”

All words in this reading · 55

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.

Adamenkos

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

From this reading Volodin went punctually to the Adamenkos to give his lessons.

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 He did obediently but unwillingly all that Volodin told him to do.

apronnounUS /ˈeɪprən/

a garment of cloth or leather or plastic that is tied about the waist and worn to protect your clothing

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

benchnounUS /bentʃ/

a long seat for more than one person

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He did obediently but unwillingly all that Volodin told him to do.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.

carpentrynounUS /ˈkɑːrpəntri/

the craft of a carpenter: making things out of wood

From this reading Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.

coffeenounUS /ˈkɑːfi/

a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans

From this reading His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading He did obediently but unwillingly all that Volodin told him to do.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading He did obediently but unwillingly all that Volodin told him to do.

EachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Volodin went punctually to the Adamenkos to give his lessons.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Volodin went punctually to the Adamenkos to give his lessons.

hopesnounUS /hoʊps/

plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

inviteverbUS /ˌɪnˈvaɪt/

increase the likelihood of

From this reading His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.

joiner's

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

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

lessonnounUS /ˈlesən/

a unit of instruction

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

lessonsnounUS /ˈlesənz/

plural of “lesson” — a unit of instruction

From this reading Volodin went punctually to the Adamenkos to give his lessons.

linennounUS /ˈlɪnən/

a fabric woven with fibers from the flax plant

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.

Misha

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

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

necessaryadjectiveUS /ˈnesəseri/

absolutely essential

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.

obedientlyadverbUS /oʊˈbiːdiəntli/

in an obedient manner

From this reading He did obediently but unwillingly all that Volodin told him to do.

punctuallyadverb

at the expected or proper time

From this reading Volodin went punctually to the Adamenkos to give his lessons.

readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

realisedadjectiveUS /ˈriːəlaɪzd/

successfully completed or brought to an end

From this reading His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.

shantynounUS /ˈʃænti/

small crude shelter used as a dwelling

From this reading Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

straightadjectiveUS /streɪt/

successive (without a break)

From this reading Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Volodin went punctually to the Adamenkos to give his lessons.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Volodin went punctually to the Adamenkos to give his lessons.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading He did obediently but unwillingly all that Volodin told him to do.

unwillinglyadverbUS /ənˈwɪlɪŋli/

in an unwilling manner

From this reading He did obediently but unwillingly all that Volodin told him to do.

usedadjectiveUS /juːzd/

employed in accomplishing something

From this reading Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.

usuallyadverbUS /ˈjuːʒəwəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

Volodin

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

From this reading Volodin went punctually to the Adamenkos to give his lessons.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Each time he came he was taken straight to the little shanty used for carpentry.

wentverbUS /went/

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

From this reading Volodin went punctually to the Adamenkos to give his lessons.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Misha usually stood in his linen apron at the joiner's bench, having got ready what was necessary for the lesson.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

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

From this reading His hopes that the young woman would invite him to take coffee were not realised.

Chapter 16 of The Little Demon by Fyodor Sologub holds 318 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 16 of The Little Demon contain?

Chapter 16 holds 318 sentences of The Little Demon, unabridged, divided into 64 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of The Little Demon by Fyodor Sologub exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 318 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 16 of The Little Demon?

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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Little Demon

Common questions about reading The Little Demon by Fyodor Sologub on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Little Demon?

Yes. All 7928 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #48912 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Little Demon is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #48912, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Little Demon take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1586 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Little Demon section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 33 chapters of The Little Demon 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 Little Demon

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

Little
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Little Demon; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Demon
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Little Demon; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Successful
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Little Demon; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Almost
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Little Demon; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.