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The Return of the Native
The Return of the Native

Chapter XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of The Return of the Native is here in full — 210 sentences across 42 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
And I,” said Humphrey.
Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”
When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”
It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.
But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”
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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 XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of The Return of the Native is here in full — 210 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
And I,” said Humphrey.
Line 2
Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”
Line 3
When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”
Line 4
It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.
Line 5
But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

All words in this reading · 69

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.

about

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

again

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

all

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

And

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

From this reading “And I,” said Humphrey.

anything

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

as

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

at

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

back

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

be

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

But

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

come

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

Do

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

folks

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

gone

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

had

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

have

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

heath

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

her

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

his

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

Humphrey

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

From this reading “And I,” said Humphrey.

I

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

From this reading “And I,” said Humphrey.

if

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

in

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

into

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

is

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

It

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

life

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

lift

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

men

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

missionaries

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

mother

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

not

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

now

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

of

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

out

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

quietly

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

replied

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

richer

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

right

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

said

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

From this reading “And I,” said Humphrey.

say

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

schoolmasters

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

see

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

shall

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

she

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

should

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

something

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

soon

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

such

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

teacher

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

that

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

the

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

there

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

From this reading “It is right that there should be schoolmasters, and missionaries, and all such men,” she replied.

there's

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

they

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

think

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

this

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

to

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

too

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

tried

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

Truly

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

try

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

From this reading “But it is right, too, that I should try to lift you out of this life into something richer, and that you should not come back again, and be as if I had not tried at all.”

turned

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

we

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

were

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

what

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

From this reading “Truly now we shall see if there’s anything in what folks say about her.”

When

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

Yeobright

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

you

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

From this reading When they were gone into the heath again Yeobright said quietly to his mother, “Do you think I have turned teacher too soon?”

Chapter 18 of The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy holds 210 sentences, grouped into 42 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 18 of The Return of the Native contain?

Chapter 18 holds 210 sentences of The Return of the Native, unabridged, divided into 42 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 210 sentences, grouped into 42 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 18 of The Return of the Native?

Work through the 42 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 42 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 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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.