Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Loom of Youth
The Loom of Youth

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of The Loom of Youth is here in full — 874 sentences across 175 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Loom of Youth
Context Illustration Reading 1/174 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Miracles do not happen, nor do sudden conversions.
Man very rarely changes.
What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.
When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.
Right and wrong are merely relative terms.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Loom of Youth

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of The Loom of Youth is here in full — 874 sentences across 175 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/174 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Miracles do not happen, nor do sudden conversions.
/ˈmɪrəkəlz duː nɑːt ˈhæpən nɔːr duː ˈsʌdən kənˈvɜːrʒənz/
Line 2
Man very rarely changes.
/mæn ˈveri ˈrerli ˈtʃeɪndʒəz/
Line 3
What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.
/wʌt hiː ɪz æt ðə bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ hiː ɪz æt ðə end ɔːl ðæt əˈkɜːrz ɪz ðæt æt ˈveriəs ˈsteɪdʒəz ʌv hɪz ˈdʒɜːrni hiː lʊks æt laɪf frʌm ə ˈdɪfərənt pɔɪnt ʌv vjuː ɔːr ˈræðər θruː ə ˈdɪfərənt per ʌv ˈspektəkəlz fɔːr ˈnevər ɑːn ðɪs ɜːrθ duː wiː ˈrɪli siː θɪŋz æz ðeɪ ɑːr/
Line 4
When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.
Line 5
Right and wrong are merely relative terms.
/raɪt ənd rɔːŋ ɑːr ˈmɪrli ˈrelətɪv tɜːrmz/

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.

cleanness noun US /ˈkliːnɪs/

the state of being clean; without dirt or other impurities

From this reading “When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.”

conversions noun US /kənˈvɜːrʒənz/

plural of “conversion” — an event that results in a transformation

From this reading “Miracles do not happen, nor do sudden conversions.”

ignoble adjective US /ˌɪɡˈnoʊbəl/

completely lacking nobility in character or quality or purpose

From this reading “When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.”

Miracles noun US /ˈmɪrəkəlz/

plural of “miracle” — any amazing or wonderful occurrence

From this reading “Miracles do not happen, nor do sudden conversions.”

monotony noun US /məˈnɑːtəni/

the quality of wearisome constancy, routine, and lack of variety

From this reading “When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.”

occurs verb US /əˈkɜːrz/

third-person singular of “occur” — come to pass

From this reading “What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.”

stages noun US /ˈsteɪdʒəz/

plural of “stage” — any distinct time period in a sequence of events

From this reading “What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.”

swimmer noun US /ˈswɪmər/

a trained athlete who participates in swimming meets

From this reading “When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.”

All words in this reading · 92

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 What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

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 What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

averageadjectiveUS /ˈævərɪdʒ/

approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

beginningnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/

the event consisting of the start of something

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

changesnounUS /ˈtʃeɪndʒəz/

plural of “change” — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another

From this reading Man very rarely changes.

cleannessnounUS /ˈkliːnɪs/

the state of being clean; without dirt or other impurities

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

conversionsnounUS /kənˈvɜːrʒənz/

plural of “conversion” — an event that results in a transformation

From this reading Miracles do not happen, nor do sudden conversions.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

differentadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfərənt/

unlike in nature or quality or form or degree

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Miracles do not happen, nor do sudden conversions.

earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

Gordon

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

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

happenverbUS /ˈhæpən/

come to pass

From this reading Miracles do not happen, nor do sudden conversions.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

higheradjectiveUS /ˈhaɪər/

advanced in complexity or elaboration

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

ignobleadjectiveUS /ˌɪɡˈnoʊbəl/

completely lacking nobility in character or quality or purpose

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

individualadjectiveUS /ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəl/

being or characteristic of a single thing or person

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

influencesnounUS /ˈɪnfluːənsɪz/

plural of “influence” — a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

journeyverbUS /ˈdʒɜːrni/

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

leapingnounUS /ˈliːpɪŋ/

a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

literaturenounUS /ˈlɪtərətʃər/

creative writing of recognized artistic value

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

looksnounUS /lʊks/

plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

MannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading Man very rarely changes.

merelyadverbUS /ˈmɪrli/

and nothing more

From this reading Right and wrong are merely relative terms.

MiraclesnounUS /ˈmɪrəkəlz/

plural of “miracle” — any amazing or wonderful occurrence

From this reading Miracles do not happen, nor do sudden conversions.

monotonynounUS /məˈnɑːtəni/

the quality of wearisome constancy, routine, and lack of variety

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Miracles do not happen, nor do sudden conversions.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Miracles do not happen, nor do sudden conversions.

occursverbUS /əˈkɜːrz/

third-person singular of “occur” — come to pass

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

pairnounUS /per/

a set of two similar things considered as a unit

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

pleasedadjectiveUS /pliːzd/

experiencing or manifesting pleasure

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

rarelyadverbUS /ˈrerli/

not often

From this reading Man very rarely changes.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

relativenounUS /ˈrelətɪv/

a person related by blood or marriage

From this reading Right and wrong are merely relative terms.

RightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading Right and wrong are merely relative terms.

routinenounUS /ruːˈtiːn/

an unvarying or habitual method or procedure

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

sightnounUS /saɪt/

an instance of visual perception

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

spectaclesnounUS /ˈspektəkəlz/

(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

stagesnounUS /ˈsteɪdʒəz/

plural of “stage” — any distinct time period in a sequence of events

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading Miracles do not happen, nor do sudden conversions.

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

swimmernounUS /ˈswɪmər/

a trained athlete who participates in swimming meets

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

termsnounUS /tɜːrmz/

status with respect to the relations between people or groups

From this reading Right and wrong are merely relative terms.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

variousadjectiveUS /ˈveriəs/

of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Man very rarely changes.

viewnounUS /vjuː/

a way of regarding situations or topics etc.

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What he is at the beginning, he is at the end; all that occurs is that at various stages of his journey he looks at life from a different point of view, or rather through a different pair of spectacles, for never on this earth do we really see things as they are.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

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

From this reading When Gordon found new influences at work upon him, when he discovered through literature that there is something higher than the ignoble monotony of the average individual routine, he did not suddenly change his whole way of life, and, "like a swimmer into cleanness leaping," put out of sight behind him the things that had pleased him once.

wrongadjectiveUS /rɔːŋ/

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading Right and wrong are merely relative terms.

Chapter 13 of The Loom of Youth by Alec Waugh holds 874 sentences, grouped into 175 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 13 of The Loom of Youth contain?

Chapter 13 holds 874 sentences of The Loom of Youth, unabridged, divided into 175 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of The Loom of Youth by Alec Waugh exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 874 sentences, grouped into 175 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 13 of The Loom of Youth?

Work through the 175 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 175 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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 Loom of Youth

Common questions about reading The Loom of Youth by Alec Waugh on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Loom of Youth?

Yes. All 7309 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #18863 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Loom of Youth is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #18863, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Loom of Youth take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1462 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Loom of Youth section by section

How to work through The Loom of Youth section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of The Loom of Youth 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 Loom of Youth

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Loom of Youth, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Comes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Loom of Youth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Things
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Loom of Youth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Gordon
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Loom of Youth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Caruthers'
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Loom of Youth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.