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

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Professional Aunt is here in full — 54 sentences across 11 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Professional Aunt
Context Illustration Reading 1/10 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
But Diana!
That is another story.
Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.
The very thought of Diana is sunshine.
She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.
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 Professional Aunt

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Professional Aunt is here in full — 54 sentences across 11 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/10 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
But Diana!
/bʌt daɪˈænə/
Line 2
That is another story.
/ðæt ɪz əˈnʌðər ˈstɔːri/
Line 3
Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.
/ˈoʊ.pən ðə ˈwɪndoʊz waɪd let ɪn ðə freʃ er ðə ˈwɪspərɪŋ ʌv triːz ðə sɔːŋ ʌv ðə bɜːrdz ənd ɔːl ðæt ɪz ɡʊd ənd ˈbjuːtəfəl ɪn ˈneɪtʃər/
Line 4
The very thought of Diana is sunshine.
/ðə ˈveri θɔːt ʌv daɪˈænə ɪz ˈsʌnʃaɪn/
Line 5
She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

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.

believing noun US /bɪˈliːvɪŋ/

the cognitive process that leads to convictions

From this reading “She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.”

Diana noun US /daɪˈænə/

English aristocrat who was the first wife of Prince Charles; her death in an automobile accident in Paris produced intense national mourning (1961-1997)

From this reading “But Diana!”

goodness noun US /ˈɡʊdnəs/

that which is pleasing or valuable or useful

From this reading “She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.”

infinitely adverb US /ˈɪnfənətli/

without bounds

From this reading “She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.”

pitiful adjective US /ˈpɪtəfəl/

inspiring mixed contempt and pity

From this reading “She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.”

sorrows noun US /ˈsɑːroʊz/

plural of “sorrow” — an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement

From this reading “She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.”

sunshine noun US /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/

the rays of the sun

From this reading “The very thought of Diana is sunshine.”

whispering noun US /ˈwɪspərɪŋ/

a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind

From this reading “Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.”

All words in this reading · 49

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.

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

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 Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading That is another story.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

believingnounUS /bɪˈliːvɪŋ/

the cognitive process that leads to convictions

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

birdsnounUS /bɜːrdz/

plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But Diana!

DiananounUS /daɪˈænə/

English aristocrat who was the first wife of Prince Charles; her death in an automobile accident in Paris produced intense national mourning (1961-1997)

From this reading But Diana!

evilnounUS /ˈiːvəl/

morally objectionable behavior

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

forgiveverbUS /fərˈɡɪv/

stop blaming or grant forgiveness

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

freshadjectiveUS /freʃ/

recently made, produced, or harvested

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

goodnessnounUS /ˈɡʊdnəs/

that which is pleasing or valuable or useful

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

infinitelyadverbUS /ˈɪnfənətli/

without bounds

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading That is another story.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

meantverbUS /ment/

inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

OpenverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

others

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

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

pitifuladjectiveUS /ˈpɪtəfəl/

inspiring mixed contempt and pity

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

quickadjectiveUS /kwɪk/

accomplished rapidly and without delay

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

slowadjectiveUS /sloʊ/

not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

songnounUS /sɔːŋ/

a short musical composition with words

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

sorrowsnounUS /ˈsɑːroʊz/

plural of “sorrow” — an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

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 That is another story.

sufferingnounUS /ˈsʌfərɪŋ/

a state of acute pain

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

sunshinenounUS /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/

the rays of the sun

From this reading The very thought of Diana is sunshine.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That is another story.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading The very thought of Diana is sunshine.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

treesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading She is as God meant us to be, happy and good, believing in the goodness of others, slow to find evil in them, quick to forgive it, infinitely pitiful of the sorrows of the suffering.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading The very thought of Diana is sunshine.

whisperingnounUS /ˈwɪspərɪŋ/

a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

wideadjectiveUS /waɪd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading Open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, the whispering of trees, the song of the birds, and all that is good and beautiful in nature.

Chapter 1 of The Professional Aunt by Mary C. E. Wemyss holds 54 sentences, grouped into 11 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 1 of The Professional Aunt contain?

Chapter 1 holds 54 sentences of The Professional Aunt, unabridged, divided into 11 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Professional Aunt by Mary C. E. Wemyss exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 54 sentences, grouped into 11 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 1 of The Professional Aunt?

Work through the 11 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 11 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Professional Aunt

Common questions about reading The Professional Aunt by Mary C. E. Wemyss on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Professional Aunt?

Yes. All 2138 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5736 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Professional Aunt is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #5736, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Professional Aunt take to read?

About 178 minutes of reading across 428 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Professional Aunt section by section

How to work through The Professional Aunt section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of The Professional Aunt 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 Professional Aunt

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Professional Aunt, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Diana
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Professional Aunt; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Another
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Professional Aunt; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Story
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Professional Aunt; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Windows
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Professional Aunt; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.