Chapter 2 of The orphan nieces is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of The orphan nieces is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Mrs. Merton leaned back in her chair. "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more. I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her. But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin. I see it was in vain."
Chapter 2 of The orphan nieces is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
plural of “advantage” — the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading “But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin.”
of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity
From this reading “I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.”
United States religious and writer (1915-1968)
From this reading “Mrs. Merton leaned back in her chair.”
the place where something begins, where it springs into being
From this reading “But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin.”
win a victory over
From this reading “But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin.”
plural of “peculiarity” — an odd or unusual characteristic
From this reading “I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.”
similarity in appearance or external or superficial details
From this reading “I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.”
past form of “resign” — leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily
From this reading “"I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.”
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.
move the upper body backwards and down
In this reading “Mrs. Merton leaned back in her chair.”
In this reading “But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin.”
In this reading “I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.”
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 "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
plural of “advantage” — the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Mrs. Merton leaned back in her chair.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading Mrs. Merton leaned back in her chair.
the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill
From this reading But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin.
of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity
From this reading I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.
past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Merton leaned back in her chair.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.
past form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Mrs. Merton leaned back in her chair.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I see it was in vain."
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading Mrs. Merton leaned back in her chair.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin.
United States religious and writer (1915-1968)
From this reading Mrs. Merton leaned back in her chair.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Merton leaned back in her chair.
not any; not one
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.
the place where something begins, where it springs into being
From this reading But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin.
win a victory over
From this reading But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin.
plural of “peculiarity” — an odd or unusual characteristic
From this reading I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
similarity in appearance or external or superficial details
From this reading I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.
past form of “resign” — leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
express in words
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading I see it was in vain."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I have always feared, from Olive's extreme resemblance to her father, that some of his peculiarities might appear in her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But I hoped a good education might overcome the advantages of a low origin.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading I see it was in vain."
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "I have no more to say," she remarked in a resigned tone of voice; "I really can say no more.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I see it was in vain."
Chapter 2 of The orphan nieces by Lucy Ellen Guernsey holds 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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 2 holds 409 sentences of The orphan nieces, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of The orphan nieces by Lucy Ellen Guernsey exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 409 sentences, grouped into 82 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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.
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Words and structures a reader meets early in The orphan nieces, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
