Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Portent and Other Stories
The Portent and Other Stories

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Portent and Other Stories is here in full — 234 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Portent and Other Stories
Context Illustration Reading 1/46 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_My Old Nurses Story_.
I was now almost nineteen.
I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.
But I was spared the trouble.
A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.
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 Portent and Other Stories

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Portent and Other Stories is here in full — 234 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/46 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_My Old Nurses Story_.
/maɪ oʊld ˈnɜːrsəz ˈstɔːri/
Line 2
I was now almost nineteen.
/aɪ wɑːz naʊ ˈɔːlmoʊst ˈnaɪnˈtiːn/
Line 3
I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.
Line 4
But I was spared the trouble.
/bʌt aɪ wɑːz sperd ðə ˈtrʌbəl/
Line 5
A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

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.

counties noun US /ˈkaʊntiz/

plural of “county” — (United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government

From this reading “A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.”

curriculum noun US /kəˈrɪk.jə.ləm/

The subjects comprising a course of study in a school or magical academy.

From this reading “I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.”

mathematics noun US /ˌmæθəˈmætɪks/

a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement

From this reading “I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.”

metaphysical adjective US /ˌmetəˈfɪzɪkəl/

pertaining to or of the nature of metaphysics

From this reading “I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.”

midland noun US /ˈmɪdlænd/

a town in west central Texas

From this reading “A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.”

physics noun US /ˈfɪzɪks/

the science of matter and energy and their interactions

From this reading “I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.”

residing verb US /rɪˈzaɪdɪŋ/

-ing form of “reside” — make one's home in a particular place or community

From this reading “A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.”

universities noun US /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsətiz/

plural of “university” — the body of faculty and students at a university

From this reading “I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.”

All words in this reading · 77

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 I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

acquirementnoun

an ability that has been acquired by training

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

agesnounUS /ˈeɪdʒəz/

plural of “age” — how long something has existed

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading I was now almost nineteen.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

applyverbUS /əˈplaɪ/

put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

boysnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But I was spared the trouble.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

classicaladjectiveUS /ˈklæsɪkəl/

of or relating to the first significant period of a civilization, culture, area of study, etc.

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

completedadjectiveUS /kəmˈpliːtəd/

successfully completed or brought to an end

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

consideredadjectiveUS /kənˈsɪdərd/

carefully weighed

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

countiesnounUS /ˈkaʊntiz/

plural of “county” — (United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

curriculumnounUS /kəˈrɪk.jə.ləm/

The subjects comprising a course of study in a school or magical academy.

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

desirousadjectiveUS /dɪˈzaɪrəs/

having or expressing desire for something

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

fairadjectiveUS /fer/

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/

possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

foundationnounUS /faʊnˈdeɪʃən/

the basis on which something is grounded

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

Hilton

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

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I was now almost nineteen.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

knowledgenounUS /ˈnɑːlədʒ/

the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

LordnounUS /lɔːrd/

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

mathematicsnounUS /ˌmæθəˈmætɪks/

a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

metaphysicaladjectiveUS /ˌmetəˈfɪzɪkəl/

pertaining to or of the nature of metaphysics

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

midlandnounUS /ˈmɪdlænd/

a town in west central Texas

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading _My Old Nurses Story_.

nineteennounUS /ˈnaɪnˈtiːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eighteen and one

From this reading I was now almost nineteen.

noblemannounUS /ˈnoʊbəlmən/

a titled peer of the realm

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading I was now almost nineteen.

NursesnounUS /ˈnɜːrsəz/

plural of “nurse” — one skilled in caring for young children or the sick (usually under the supervision of a physician)

From this reading _My Old Nurses Story_.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

offeredverbUS /ˈɔːfərd/

past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

offeringnounUS /ˈɔːfərɪŋ/

something offered (as a proposal or bid)

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

OldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading _My Old Nurses Story_.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

physicsnounUS /ˈfɪzɪks/

the science of matter and energy and their interactions

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

possessedadjectiveUS /pəˈzest/

influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

postverbUS /poʊst/

affix in a public place or for public notice

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

residingverbUS /rɪˈzaɪdɪŋ/

-ing form of “reside” — make one's home in a particular place or community

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

resolvedadjectiveUS /riˈzɑːlvd/

determined

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

ScotchnounUS /skɑːtʃ/

a slight surface cut (especially a notch that is made to keep a tally)

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

situationnounUS /ˌsɪtʃuːˈeɪʃən/

the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

sonsnounUS /sʌnz/

plural of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

sparedverbUS /sperd/

past form of “spare” — refrain from harming

From this reading But I was spared the trouble.

StorynounUS /ˈstɔːri/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading _My Old Nurses Story_.

studynounUS /ˈstʌdi/

a detailed critical inspection

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

suitableadjectiveUS /ˈsuːtəbəl/

meant or adapted for an occasion or use

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

tennounUS /ten/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

troublenounUS /ˈtrʌbəl/

a source of difficulty

From this reading But I was spared the trouble.

tutorverbUS /ˈtuːtər/

be a tutor to someone; give individual instruction

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

twelvenounUS /twelv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

universitiesnounUS /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsətiz/

plural of “university” — the body of faculty and students at a university

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I was now almost nineteen.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading I had completed the usual curriculum of study at one of the Scotch universities; and, possessed of a fair knowledge of mathematics and physics, and what I considered rather more than a good foundation for classical and metaphysical acquirement, I resolved to apply for the first suitable situation that offered.

wroteverbUS /roʊt/

inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work

From this reading A certain Lord Hilton, an English nobleman, residing in one of the midland counties, having heard that one of my father’s sons was desirous of such a situation, wrote to him, offering me the post of tutor to his two boys, of the ages of ten and twelve.

Chapter 2 of The Portent and Other Stories by George MacDonald holds 234 sentences, grouped into 47 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 2 of The Portent and Other Stories contain?

Chapter 2 holds 234 sentences of The Portent and Other Stories, unabridged, divided into 47 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Portent and Other Stories by George MacDonald exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 234 sentences, grouped into 47 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 2 of The Portent and Other Stories?

Work through the 47 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 47 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 2 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading The Portent and Other Stories

Common questions about reading The Portent and Other Stories by George MacDonald on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Portent and Other Stories?

Yes. All 4173 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8913 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Portent and Other Stories is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #8913, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Portent and Other Stories take to read?

About 347 minutes of reading across 835 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Portent and Other Stories section by section

How to work through The Portent and Other Stories section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of The Portent and Other Stories 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 Portent and Other Stories

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Portent and Other Stories, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Second
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Portent and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hearing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Portent and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Summer
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Portent and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Evening
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Portent and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.