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The Pension Beaurepas
The Pension Beaurepas

Chapter II

Cover illustration for The Pension Beaurepas
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.
There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.
It hardly made the matter easier that the old Frenchman came from Lausanne.
He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.
Lausanne, as he said, “_manquait d’agréments_.”
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Pension Beaurepas

Chapter II

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.
Line 2
There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.
Line 3
It hardly made the matter easier that the old Frenchman came from Lausanne.
Line 4
He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.
Line 5
Lausanne, as he said, “_manquait d’agréments_.”

Learner Dictionary

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

Balance noun US /ˈbalance/

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

From this reading “There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.”

Beyond preposition US /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading “He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.”

Whose determiner US /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading “He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.”

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 There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

allotment

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

American

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

balancenounUS /ˈbalance/

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

Beaurepas

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

boarding-houses

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

came

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

From this reading It hardly made the matter easier that the old Frenchman came from Lausanne.

commonly

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

d'agréments

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

From this reading Lausanne, as he said, “_manquait d’agréments_.”

easier

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

From this reading It hardly made the matter easier that the old Frenchman came from Lausanne.

economical

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

estimable

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

familiar

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

form

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

Frenchman

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It hardly made the matter easier that the old Frenchman came from Lausanne.

got

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

happens

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

hardly

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

From this reading It hardly made the matter easier that the old Frenchman came from Lausanne.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

human

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

inadequate

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It hardly made the matter easier that the old Frenchman came from Lausanne.

knowledge

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

Lausanne

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

From this reading It hardly made the matter easier that the old Frenchman came from Lausanne.

made

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

From this reading It hardly made the matter easier that the old Frenchman came from Lausanne.

maids

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

maintain

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

manquait

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

From this reading Lausanne, as he said, “_manquait d’agréments_.”

matter

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

From this reading It hardly made the matter easier that the old Frenchman came from Lausanne.

months

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

most

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

native

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

old

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

once

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

only

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

Paris

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

Pension

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

petticoats

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

pronounced

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

resources

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

rustle

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

said

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

From this reading Lausanne, as he said, “_manquait d’agréments_.”

sexes

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

six

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

spent

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

tasted

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It hardly made the matter easier that the old Frenchman came from Lausanne.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

There

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

town

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

tread

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

tree

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

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

usual

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading As commonly happens in boarding-houses, the rustle of petticoats was, at the Pension Beaurepas, the most familiar form of the human tread.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading He was a native of that estimable town, but he had once spent six months in Paris, he had tasted of the tree of knowledge; he had got beyond Lausanne, whose resources he pronounced inadequate.

widows

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.

young

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

From this reading There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids, and to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman and a young American.