Chapter 7 of The Sins of the Children: A Novel is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VII
Chapter 7 of The Sins of the Children: A Novel is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak. "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered. "It isn't any fun to be married to a bunch of pamphlets. What! Are you off now?"
Chapter 7 of The Sins of the Children: A Novel is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
inflected form of “bite” — to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws
From this reading “"Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.”
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading “"It isn't any fun to be married to a bunch of pamphlets.”
a long backless sofa (usually with pillows against a wall)
From this reading “Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.”
past form of “gasp” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
From this reading “Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.”
walk impeded by some physical limitation or injury
From this reading “Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.”
plural of “pamphlet” — a small book usually having a paper cover
From this reading “"It isn't any fun to be married to a bunch of pamphlets.”
a painful and involuntary muscular contraction
From this reading “Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.”
past form of “subside” — wear off or die down
From this reading “Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.”
move in order to make room for someone for something
In this reading “Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.”
In this reading “Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "It isn't any fun to be married to a bunch of pamphlets.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Are you off now?"
a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It isn't any fun to be married to a bunch of pamphlets.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.
inflected form of “bite” — to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws
From this reading "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading "It isn't any fun to be married to a bunch of pamphlets.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.
a long backless sofa (usually with pillows against a wall)
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading "It isn't any fun to be married to a bunch of pamphlets.
past form of “gasp” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It isn't any fun to be married to a bunch of pamphlets.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It isn't any fun to be married to a bunch of pamphlets.
the sound of laughing
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
walk impeded by some physical limitation or injury
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
joined in matrimony
From this reading "It isn't any fun to be married to a bunch of pamphlets.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Are you off now?"
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Are you off now?"
plural of “pamphlet” — a small book usually having a paper cover
From this reading "It isn't any fun to be married to a bunch of pamphlets.
disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
freed from illness or injury
From this reading "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.
a male human offspring
From this reading "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.
a painful and involuntary muscular contraction
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
past form of “subside” — wear off or die down
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
precisely as stated
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
wanting in physical strength
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What!
at the time that
From this reading "Never allow Betty to get bitten by the meeting-bug, son," he said, when he had recovered.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Peter gasped for breath and the artist subsided into the divan and gave way to an attack--a very spasm--of laughter, which left him limp and weak.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Are you off now?"
Chapter 7 of The Sins of the Children: A Novel by Cosmo Hamilton holds 405 sentences, grouped into 81 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.
Chapter 7 holds 405 sentences of The Sins of the Children: A Novel, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 7 of The Sins of the Children: A Novel by Cosmo Hamilton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 405 sentences, grouped into 81 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.
Work through the 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 81 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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.
Common questions about reading The Sins of the Children: A Novel by Cosmo Hamilton on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6013 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #37664 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #37664, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 501 minutes of reading across 1203 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Sins of the Children: A Novel section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 15 chapters of The Sins of the Children: A Novel to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Sins of the Children: A Novel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
