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The Sorceress (Complete)
The Sorceress (Complete)

Chapter XXI

Chapter 21 of The Sorceress (Complete) is here in full — 299 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Sorceress (Complete)
Context Illustration Reading 1/59 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“CHARLIE wishes to go up to Oxford to read.
Why does he wish to go up to Oxford to read?
And what reading is it necessary to do there?”
“He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”
“Oh, there are too many interruptions at home?
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 Sorceress (Complete)

Chapter XXI

Chapter 21 of The Sorceress (Complete) is here in full — 299 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/59 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“CHARLIE wishes to go up to Oxford to read.
Line 2
Why does he wish to go up to Oxford to read?
/waɪ dʌz hiː wɪʃ tuː ɡoʊ ʌp tuː ˈɑːksfərd tuː red/
Line 3
And what reading is it necessary to do there?”
/ənd wʌt ˈriːdɪŋ ɪz ɪt ˈnesəseri tuː duː ðer/
Line 4
“He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”
Line 5
“Oh, there are too many interruptions at home?
/oʊ ðer ɑːr tuː ˈmeni ˌɪntərˈʌpʃənz æt hoʊm/

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.

arrange verb US /ərˈeɪndʒ/

put into a proper or systematic order

From this reading ““He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
books noun US /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading ““He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.””

Velmora curated lexicon
easier adjective US /ˈiːziər/

comparative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading ““He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
interruptions noun US /ˌɪntərˈʌpʃənz/

plural of “interruption” — an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity

From this reading ““He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Oxford noun US /ˈɑːksfərd/

a city in southern England to the northwest of London; site of Oxford University

From this reading ““CHARLIE wishes to go up to Oxford to read.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
papa noun US /ˈpɑːpʌ/

an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk

From this reading ““He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reading noun US /ˈriːdɪŋ/

the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message

From this reading “And what reading is it necessary to do there?””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wishes noun US /ˈwɪʃɪz/

plural of “wish” — a specific feeling of desire

From this reading ““CHARLIE wishes to go up to Oxford to read.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

at home preposition + noun

a reception held in your own home

In this reading ““He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.””

94,709 times in 225,867 chapters
too many adverb + adjective

In this reading ““Oh, there are too many interruptions at home?”

13,092 times in 225,867 chapters
go up verb + adjective

move upward

In this reading ““CHARLIE wishes to go up to Oxford to read.”

57,180 times in 225,867 chapters
get on verb + particle

have smooth relations

In this reading ““He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.””

31,412 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 47

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
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 “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And what reading is it necessary to do there?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading “Oh, there are too many interruptions at home?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
arrangeverbUS /ərˈeɪndʒ/

put into a proper or systematic order

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

Velmora curated lexicon
canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
CHARLIE

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

From this reading “CHARLIE wishes to go up to Oxford to read.

Pending verification
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading And what reading is it necessary to do there?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading Why does he wish to go up to Oxford to read?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
easieradjectiveUS /ˈiːziər/

comparative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading “CHARLIE wishes to go up to Oxford to read.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Why does he wish to go up to Oxford to read?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
insteadadverbUS /ˌɪnˈsted/

in place of, or as an alternative to

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
interruptionsnounUS /ˌɪntərˈʌpʃənz/

plural of “interruption” — an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading And what reading is it necessary to do there?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading And what reading is it necessary to do there?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
livingnounUS /ˈlɪvɪŋ/

the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading “Oh, there are too many interruptions at home?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
necessaryadjectiveUS /ˈnesəseri/

absolutely essential

From this reading And what reading is it necessary to do there?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading “Oh, there are too many interruptions at home?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OxfordnounUS /ˈɑːksfərd/

a city in southern England to the northwest of London; site of Oxford University

From this reading “CHARLIE wishes to go up to Oxford to read.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
papanounUS /ˈpɑːpʌ/

an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
readverbUS /red/

interpret something that is written or printed

From this reading “CHARLIE wishes to go up to Oxford to read.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
readingnounUS /ˈriːdɪŋ/

the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message

From this reading And what reading is it necessary to do there?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
saysnounUS /sez/

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading And what reading is it necessary to do there?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “CHARLIE wishes to go up to Oxford to read.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading “Oh, there are too many interruptions at home?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading “CHARLIE wishes to go up to Oxford to read.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading And what reading is it necessary to do there?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WhynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading Why does he wish to go up to Oxford to read?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wishverbUS /wɪʃ/

hope for; have a wish

From this reading Why does he wish to go up to Oxford to read?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wishesnounUS /ˈwɪʃɪz/

plural of “wish” — a specific feeling of desire

From this reading “CHARLIE wishes to go up to Oxford to read.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “He says, papa, that it is easier to get on when you have all your books about you--and when you can arrange all your way of living for that, instead of the interruptions at home.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 21 of The Sorceress (Complete) by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant holds 299 sentences, grouped into 60 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.

What does chapter 21 of The Sorceress (Complete) contain?

Chapter 21 holds 299 sentences of The Sorceress (Complete), unabridged, divided into 60 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of The Sorceress (Complete) by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 299 sentences, grouped into 60 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 21 of The Sorceress (Complete)?

Work through the 60 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 60 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 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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 Sorceress (Complete)

Common questions about reading The Sorceress (Complete) by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Sorceress (Complete)?

Yes. All 7556 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #52060 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Sorceress (Complete) is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #52060, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Sorceress (Complete) take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1512 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Sorceress (Complete) section by section

How to work through The Sorceress (Complete) section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of The Sorceress (Complete) 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 Sorceress (Complete)

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Sorceress (Complete), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Exciting
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sorceress (Complete); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Event
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sorceress (Complete); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Occurred
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sorceress (Complete); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Family
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sorceress (Complete); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.