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The Return of the Native
The Return of the Native

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Return of the Native is here in full — 226 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Thomas Hardy • Curated US English Learning Edition

Chapter 2 of The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy holds 226 sentences, grouped into 46 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 2 of The Return of the Native contain?

Chapter 2 holds 226 sentences of The Return of the Native, unabridged, divided into 46 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 226 sentences, grouped into 46 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 Return of the Native?

Work through the 46 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 46 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 Return of the Native

Common questions about reading The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Return of the Native?

Yes. All 9124 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #122 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Return of the Native is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #122, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Return of the Native take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1825 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Return of the Native section by section

How to work through The Return of the Native section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Return of the Native 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 Return of the Native

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Return of the Native, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Return
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Return of the Native; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Native
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Return of the Native; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thomas
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Return of the Native; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hardy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Return of the Native; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cover illustration for The Return of the Native
Context Illustration Reading 1/46 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
There the form stood, motionless as the hill beneath.
Above the plain rose the hill, above the hill rose the barrow, and above the barrow rose the figure.
Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.
Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.
Without it, there was the dome without the lantern; with it the architectural demands of the mass were satisfied.
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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 Return of the Native

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Return of the Native is here in full — 226 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
There the form stood, motionless as the hill beneath.
Line 2
Above the plain rose the hill, above the hill rose the barrow, and above the barrow rose the figure.
Line 3
Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.
Line 4
Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.
Line 5
Without it, there was the dome without the lantern; with it the architectural demands of the mass were satisfied.

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.

Beneath preposition US /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading “There the form stood, motionless as the hill beneath.”

Velmora curated lexicon
Stood verb US /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading “There the form stood, motionless as the hill beneath.”

Velmora curated lexicon
All words in this reading · 54

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

a

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

From this reading Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.

Pending verification
Above

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

From this reading Above the plain rose the hill, above the hill rose the barrow, and above the barrow rose the figure.

Pending verification
and

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

From this reading Above the plain rose the hill, above the hill rose the barrow, and above the barrow rose the figure.

Pending verification
architectural

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

From this reading Without it, there was the dome without the lantern; with it the architectural demands of the mass were satisfied.

Pending verification
as

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

From this reading There the form stood, motionless as the hill beneath.

Pending verification
barrow

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

From this reading Above the plain rose the hill, above the hill rose the barrow, and above the barrow rose the figure.

Pending verification
be

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

From this reading Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.

Pending verification
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading There the form stood, motionless as the hill beneath.

Velmora curated lexicon
celestial

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

From this reading Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.

Pending verification
could

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

From this reading Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.

Pending verification
dark

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
delicate

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
demands

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

From this reading Without it, there was the dome without the lantern; with it the architectural demands of the mass were satisfied.

Pending verification
did

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
dome

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

From this reading Without it, there was the dome without the lantern; with it the architectural demands of the mass were satisfied.

Pending verification
elsewhere

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

From this reading Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.

Pending verification
figure

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

From this reading Above the plain rose the hill, above the hill rose the barrow, and above the barrow rose the figure.

Pending verification
finish

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
form

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

From this reading There the form stood, motionless as the hill beneath.

Pending verification
give

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
globe

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

From this reading Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.

Pending verification
hill

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

From this reading There the form stood, motionless as the hill beneath.

Pending verification
hills

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
it

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
justification

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
lantern

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

From this reading Without it, there was the dome without the lantern; with it the architectural demands of the mass were satisfied.

Pending verification
mapped

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

From this reading Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.

Pending verification
mass

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

From this reading Without it, there was the dome without the lantern; with it the architectural demands of the mass were satisfied.

Pending verification
motionless

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

From this reading There the form stood, motionless as the hill beneath.

Pending verification
necessary

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
nothing

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

From this reading Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.

Pending verification
obvious

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
of

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
on

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

From this reading Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.

Pending verification
only

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
outline

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
perfect

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
pile

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
plain

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

From this reading Above the plain rose the hill, above the hill rose the barrow, and above the barrow rose the figure.

Pending verification
rose

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

From this reading Above the plain rose the hill, above the hill rose the barrow, and above the barrow rose the figure.

Pending verification
satisfied

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

From this reading Without it, there was the dome without the lantern; with it the architectural demands of the mass were satisfied.

Pending verification
seemed

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading There the form stood, motionless as the hill beneath.

Velmora curated lexicon
Such

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
than

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

From this reading Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.

Pending verification
that

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

From this reading Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.

Pending verification
the

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

From this reading There the form stood, motionless as the hill beneath.

Pending verification
their

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
There

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

From this reading There the form stood, motionless as the hill beneath.

Pending verification
to

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

From this reading Such a perfect, delicate, and necessary finish did the figure give to the dark pile of hills that it seemed to be the only obvious justification of their outline.

Pending verification
was

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

From this reading Above the figure was nothing that could be mapped elsewhere than on a celestial globe.

Pending verification
were

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

From this reading Without it, there was the dome without the lantern; with it the architectural demands of the mass were satisfied.

Pending verification
with

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

From this reading Without it, there was the dome without the lantern; with it the architectural demands of the mass were satisfied.

Pending verification
Without

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

From this reading Without it, there was the dome without the lantern; with it the architectural demands of the mass were satisfied.

Pending verification