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The Old Wives' Tale
The Old Wives' Tale

Chapter XXV

Cover illustration for The Old Wives' Tale
Context Illustration Reading 1/199 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.
Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.
Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.
She was triumphant and breathless.
She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.
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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 Old Wives' Tale

Chapter XXV

Reading 1/199 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.
Line 2
Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.
Line 3
Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.
Line 4
She was triumphant and breathless.
Line 5
She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.”

Despite preposition US /dɪˈspaɪt/

although something is true; in spite of

From this reading “Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.”

Standing noun US /ˈstanding/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.”

All words in this reading · 69

Every word is available to listen to. 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 Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

age

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

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

all

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.

attitude

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

From this reading She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.

basket

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.

breathless

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

From this reading She was triumphant and breathless.

burst

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

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

carrying

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

climbed

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

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

Constance

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

dark

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

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

deposited

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

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

despiteprepositionUS /dɪˈspaɪt/

although something is true; in spite of

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

difficult

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

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

door

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

From this reading She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.

empty

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

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

END

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

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

equal

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

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

failed

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

fireplace

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

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

floor

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

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

Fossette

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

heaviness

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

kitchen

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

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

large

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

leave

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

listener

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

From this reading She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.

near

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

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

nine

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

older

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

parlour

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

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

persuade

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

Scales

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

shocked

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

From this reading She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.

SOPHIA

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

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

Square

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

standingnounUS /ˈstanding/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.

steep

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

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

steps

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

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

triumphant

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

From this reading She was triumphant and breathless.

Up

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

violence

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

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

violently

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

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

weighted

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading END OF SOPHIA I The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading She looked at Constance, who had been standing near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.

years

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

From this reading Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette.