Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Path of a Star
The Path of a Star

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Path of a Star is here in full — 116 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Path of a Star
Context Illustration Reading 1/23 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.
The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.
Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.
Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.
Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.
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 Path of a Star

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Path of a Star is here in full — 116 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/23 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.
/ˈoʊnli ðə sfɪŋks kənˈfrʌntəd ðem ˈæftər ɔːl wen ðeɪ ərˈaɪvd æt ðə ˈθiːətər ðə sfɪŋks ənd ˈleɪdi ˈdɑːli/
Line 2
The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.
Line 3
Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.
Line 4
Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.
Line 5
Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.
/mɔːˈroʊvər ðə ˈhʌzbənd əˈtætʃt tuː ðə ˈelboʊz bɪˈlɔːŋd tuː ðə dɪˈpɑːrtmənt ʌv wɪtʃ ˈkɜːrnəl dʒɑːn wɑːz ðə hed soʊ ðæt ðeɪ ˈrestəd wʌn meɪ seɪ əˈpɑːn ə ˈveri ˈspeʃəl pleɪn/

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.

appreciative adjective US /əˈpriːʃieɪtɪv/

feeling or expressive of gratitude

From this reading “Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.”

belittling noun US /bɪˈlɪtəlɪŋ/

a belittling comment

From this reading “The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.”

bodice noun US /ˈbɑːdɪs/

part of a dress above the waist

From this reading “Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.”

bodices noun US /ˈbɑːdɪsɪz/

plural of “bodice” — part of a dress above the waist

From this reading “Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.”

Dolly's noun US /ˈdɑːliz/

possessive form of “dolly” — conveyance consisting of a wheeled support on which a camera can be mounted

From this reading “Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.”

enabling adjective US /eˈneɪbəlɪŋ/

providing legal power or sanction

From this reading “Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.”

presentment noun US /priˈzentmənt/

an accusation of crime made by a grand jury on its own initiative

From this reading “The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.”

Sphinx noun US /sfɪŋks/

an inscrutable person who keeps his thoughts and intentions secret

From this reading “Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.”

All words in this reading · 102

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 The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

accustomedadjectiveUS /əˈkʌstəmd/

commonly used or practiced; usual

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

adorableadjectiveUS /əˈdɔːrəbəl/

lovable especially in a childlike or naive way

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

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 Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

appreciativeadjectiveUS /əˈpriːʃieɪtɪv/

feeling or expressive of gratitude

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

arrivedverbUS /ərˈaɪvd/

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

assistingverbUS /əˈsɪstɪŋ/

-ing form of “assist” — give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

attachedadjectiveUS /əˈtætʃt/

being joined in close association

From this reading Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

belittlingnounUS /bɪˈlɪtəlɪŋ/

a belittling comment

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

belongedverbUS /bɪˈlɔːŋd/

past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of

From this reading Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

bodicenounUS /ˈbɑːdɪs/

part of a dress above the waist

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

bodicesnounUS /ˈbɑːdɪsɪz/

plural of “bodice” — part of a dress above the waist

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

boxnounUS /bɑːks/

a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

ColonelnounUS /ˈkɜːrnəl/

a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

confrontedverbUS /kənˈfrʌntəd/

past form of “confront” — oppose, as in hostility or a competition

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

Cummins

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

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

curtainnounUS /ˈkɜːrtən/

hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

cutverbUS /kʌt/

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

dealverbUS /diːl/

act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

DepartmentnounUS /dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/

a specialized division of a large organization

From this reading Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.

discretionnounUS /dɪˈskreʃən/

freedom to act or judge on one's own

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

dismissedadjectiveUS /dɪˈsmɪst/

having lost your job

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

DollynounUS /ˈdɑːli/

conveyance consisting of a wheeled support on which a camera can be mounted

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

Dolly'snounUS /ˈdɑːliz/

possessive form of “dolly” — conveyance consisting of a wheeled support on which a camera can be mounted

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

elbowsnounUS /ˈelboʊz/

plural of “elbow” — hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

enablingadjectiveUS /eˈneɪbəlɪŋ/

providing legal power or sanction

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

escapedadjectiveUS /ɪˈskeɪpt/

having escaped, especially from confinement

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

exploredverbUS /ɪkˈsplɔːrd/

past form of “explore” — inquire into

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

exploringverbUS /ɪkˈsplɔːrɪŋ/

-ing form of “explore” — inquire into

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

feminineadjectiveUS /ˈfemənən/

associated with women and not with men

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

gazenounUS /ɡeɪz/

a long fixed look

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

greetverbUS /ɡriːt/

express greetings upon meeting someone

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

hardlyadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdli/

only a very short time before

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

headsnounUS /hedz/

plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

highlyadverbUS /ˈhaɪli/

to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

how

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

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

humournounUS /ˈhjuːmər/

a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

JohnnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

LadynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.

modishadjective

in the current fashion or style

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

momentsnounUS /ˈmoʊmənts/

plural of “moment” — a particular point in time

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

MoreoveradverbUS /mɔːˈroʊvər/

in addition to what has just been said

From this reading Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

observeverbUS /əbˈzɜːrv/

discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.

OnlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

perfectadjectiveUS /pərˈfekt/

being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

planenounUS /pleɪn/

an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets

From this reading Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.

presentmentnounUS /priˈzentmənt/

an accusation of crime made by a grand jury on its own initiative

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

raisedadjectiveUS /reɪzd/

located or moved above the surround or above the normal position

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

restedadjectiveUS /ˈrestəd/

not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing

From this reading Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.

rolenounUS /roʊl/

the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

SinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.

specialadjectiveUS /ˈspeʃəl/

unique or specific to a person or thing or category

From this reading Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.

SphinxnounUS /sfɪŋks/

an inscrutable person who keeps his thoughts and intentions secret

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

theatrenounUS /ˈθiːətər/

a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading The older feminine presentment sent her belittling gaze over their heads and beyond them from the curtain; Lady Dolly turned a modish head to greet them from the front of the box.

unimportantadjectiveUS /ənɪmˈpɔːrtənt/

not important

From this reading Since Colonel Cummins was accustomed to say in moments when his humour escaped his discretion, things highly appreciative of bodices, the role of Lady Dolly's elbows could hardly be dismissed as unimportant.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Moreover, the husband attached to the elbows belonged to the Department of which Colonel John was the head, so that they rested, one may say, upon a very special plane.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Only the Sphinx confronted them after all when they arrived at the theatre, the Sphinx and Lady Dolly.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Lady Dolly raised her eyes but not her elbows, which were assisting her a good deal with the house in exploring and being explored, enabling Colonel John Cummins, who sat by her side, to observe how very perfect and adorable the cut of her bodice was.

Chapter 21 of The Path of a Star by Sara Jeannette Duncan holds 116 sentences, grouped into 24 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 21 of The Path of a Star contain?

Chapter 21 holds 116 sentences of The Path of a Star, unabridged, divided into 24 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of The Path of a Star by Sara Jeannette Duncan exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 116 sentences, grouped into 24 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 21 of The Path of a Star?

Work through the 24 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 24 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 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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 Path of a Star

Common questions about reading The Path of a Star by Sara Jeannette Duncan on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Path of a Star?

Yes. All 4564 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5102 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Path of a Star is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #5102, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Path of a Star take to read?

About 380 minutes of reading across 913 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Path of a Star section by section

How to work through The Path of a Star section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 29 chapters of The Path of a Star 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 Path of a Star

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

Alicia
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Path of a Star; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Livingstone
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Path of a Star; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lowest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Path of a Star; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Isn't
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Path of a Star; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.