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The Return of the Native
The Return of the Native

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Return of the Native is here in full — 214 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Return of the Native
Context Illustration Reading 1/42 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Yes,” Mrs. Yeobright said sadly, putting down the letter.
If you think you can marry him, do so.
And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.
I can do nothing.
It is all in your own hands now.
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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 XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Return of the Native is here in full — 214 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Yes,” Mrs. Yeobright said sadly, putting down the letter.
Line 2
If you think you can marry him, do so.
Line 3
And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.
Line 4
I can do nothing.
Line 5
It is all in your own hands now.

All words in this reading · 38

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.

all

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

From this reading It is all in your own hands now.

And

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

From this reading And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.

be

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

From this reading And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.

can

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

From this reading “If you think you can marry him, do so.

do

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

From this reading “If you think you can marry him, do so.

down

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

From this reading “Yes,” Mrs. Yeobright said sadly, putting down the letter.

hands

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

From this reading It is all in your own hands now.

him

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

From this reading “If you think you can marry him, do so.

I

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

From this reading I can do nothing.

If

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

From this reading “If you think you can marry him, do so.

in

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

From this reading It is all in your own hands now.

is

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

From this reading It is all in your own hands now.

it

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

From this reading And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.

let

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

From this reading And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.

letter

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

From this reading “Yes,” Mrs. Yeobright said sadly, putting down the letter.

marry

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

From this reading “If you think you can marry him, do so.

Mr

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

From this reading And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.

Mrs

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

From this reading “Yes,” Mrs. Yeobright said sadly, putting down the letter.

nothing

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

From this reading I can do nothing.

now

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

From this reading It is all in your own hands now.

own

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

From this reading It is all in your own hands now.

putting

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

From this reading “Yes,” Mrs. Yeobright said sadly, putting down the letter.

sadly

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

From this reading “Yes,” Mrs. Yeobright said sadly, putting down the letter.

said

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

From this reading “Yes,” Mrs. Yeobright said sadly, putting down the letter.

since

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

From this reading And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.

so

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

From this reading “If you think you can marry him, do so.

that

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

From this reading And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.

the

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

From this reading “Yes,” Mrs. Yeobright said sadly, putting down the letter.

think

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

From this reading “If you think you can marry him, do so.

to

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

From this reading And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.

too

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

From this reading And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.

unceremonious

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

From this reading And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.

Wildeve

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

From this reading And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.

wishes

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

From this reading And since Mr. Wildeve wishes it to be unceremonious, let it be that too.

Yeobright

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

From this reading “Yes,” Mrs. Yeobright said sadly, putting down the letter.

Yes

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

From this reading “Yes,” Mrs. Yeobright said sadly, putting down the letter.

you

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

From this reading “If you think you can marry him, do so.

your

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

From this reading It is all in your own hands now.

Chapter 16 of The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy holds 214 sentences, grouped into 43 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 16 of The Return of the Native contain?

Chapter 16 holds 214 sentences of The Return of the Native, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 214 sentences, grouped into 43 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 16 of The Return of the Native?

Work through the 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 43 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 8619 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 1724 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.

Preface
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.
First
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.
Three
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.
Women
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.