Chapter 8 of The Locusts' Years is here in full — 251 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of The Locusts' Years is here in full — 251 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Want a paseo, Charlotte?" Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon. "It's not so very hot. I feel like walking myself." Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
Chapter 8 of The Locusts' Years is here in full — 251 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/50 · 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.
-ing form of “adjoin” — lie adjacent to another or share a boundary
From this reading “Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.”
the largest city in North Carolina; located in south central North Carolina
From this reading “"Want a paseo, Charlotte?"”
inflected form of “dab” — apply (usually a liquid) to a surface
From this reading “Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.”
a path set aside for walking
From this reading “"Want a paseo, Charlotte?"”
a solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles; a solid that has been pulverized
From this reading “Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.”
smoke and exhale strongly
From this reading “Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.”
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading “Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.”
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading “Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.”
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.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
In this reading “Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.”
a folding chair for use outdoors; a wooden frame supports a length of canvas
In this reading “Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.”
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 "Want a paseo, Charlotte?"
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
-ing form of “adjoin” — lie adjacent to another or share a boundary
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.
the largest city in North Carolina; located in south central North Carolina
From this reading "Want a paseo, Charlotte?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
inflected form of “dab” — apply (usually a liquid) to a surface
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading I feel like walking myself."
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading "It's not so very hot.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I feel like walking myself."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's not so very hot.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading I feel like walking myself."
prolonged unfulfilled desire or need
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
French bishop who is a patron saint of France (died in 397)
From this reading Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I feel like walking myself."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "It's not so very hot.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.
on one occasion
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.
a path set aside for walking
From this reading "Want a paseo, Charlotte?"
a solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles; a solid that has been pulverized
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
smoke and exhale strongly
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
past form of “respond” — show a response or a reaction to something
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "It's not so very hot.
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.
precisely as stated
From this reading "It's not so very hot.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martin called from his deck chair on the vine-shaded veranda one Sunday afternoon.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading I feel like walking myself."
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "Want a paseo, Charlotte?"
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
which person or people
From this reading Mrs. Collingwood, who was dabbing a powder puff across her face as a finish to her afternoon toilet, responded at once, from the adjoining bedroom, that she was longing for a walk.
Chapter 8 of The Locusts' Years by Mary H. (Mary Helen) Fee holds 251 sentences, grouped into 51 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.
Chapter 8 holds 251 sentences of The Locusts' Years, unabridged, divided into 51 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of The Locusts' Years by Mary H. (Mary Helen) Fee exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 251 sentences, grouped into 51 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 51 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 51 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 Locusts' Years by Mary H. (Mary Helen) Fee on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4143 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #37089 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #37089, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 345 minutes of reading across 829 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Locusts' Years section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 18 chapters of The Locusts' Years 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 Locusts' Years, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
