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The Wedding Guest
The Wedding Guest

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Wedding Guest is here in full — 34 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/6 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.
Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.
You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.
Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.
You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.
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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 Wedding Guest

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Wedding Guest is here in full — 34 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/6 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.
Line 2
Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.
Line 3
You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.
Line 4
Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.
Line 5
You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

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.

comer noun US /ˈkʌmər/

someone with a promising future

From this reading “Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.”

errors noun US /ˈerərz/

plural of “error” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading “You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.”

inspection noun US /ˌɪnˈspekʃən/

a formal or official examination

From this reading “You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.”

interruption noun US /ˌɪntərˈʌpʃən/

an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity

From this reading “MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.”

mar verb US /mɑːr/

make imperfect

From this reading “Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.”

misgiving noun US /mɪsˈɡɪvɪŋ/

uneasiness about the fitness of an action

From this reading “Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.”

traced verb US /treɪst/

past form of “trace” — follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something

From this reading “You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.”

wins noun US /wɪnz/

plural of “win” — a victory (as in a race or other competition)

From this reading “Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.”

All words in this reading · 118

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.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

affectionnounUS /əˈfekʃən/

a positive feeling of liking

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

affectionateadjectiveUS /əˈfekʃənət/

having or displaying warmth or affection

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

answeringadjectiveUS /ˈænsərɪŋ/

replying

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

beautynounUS /ˈbjuːti/

the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

comernounUS /ˈkʌmər/

someone with a promising future

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

confessverbUS /kənˈfes/

confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

continueverbUS /kənˈtɪnjuː/

continue a certain state, condition, or activity

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

correctverbUS /kərˈekt/

make right or correct

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

correspondencenounUS /ˌkɔːrəˈspɑːndəns/

communication by the exchange of letters

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

DEARadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

errorsnounUS /ˈerərz/

plural of “error” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

furtheradverbUS /ˈfɜːrðər/

to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

gazenounUS /ɡeɪz/

a long fixed look

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

gratitudenounUS /ˈɡrætətuːd/

a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

happinessnounUS /ˈhæpinəs/

state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

illnessnounUS /ˈɪlnəs/

impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

inspectionnounUS /ˌɪnˈspekʃən/

a formal or official examination

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

interruptionnounUS /ˌɪntərˈʌpʃən/

an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

kindlyadjectiveUS /ˈkaɪndli/

showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

kindnessnounUS /ˈkaɪndnəs/

the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

letternounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

LIZZIE

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

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

mannernounUS /ˈmænər/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

marverbUS /mɑːr/

make imperfect

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

marriedadjectiveUS /ˈmerid/

joined in matrimony

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

metverbUS /met/

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

misgivingnounUS /mɪsˈɡɪvɪŋ/

uneasiness about the fitness of an action

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

MYdeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/

used of mouth or eyes

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

pagenounUS /peɪdʒ/

one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

perfectadjectiveUS /pərˈfekt/

being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

pleasantadjectiveUS /ˈplezənt/

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

preciousadjectiveUS /ˈpreʃəs/

characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

preventedverbUS /prɪˈventɪd/

past form of “prevent” — keep from happening or arising; make impossible

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

re-read

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

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

readverbUS /red/

interpret something that is written or printed

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

severeadjectiveUS /səˈvɪr/

intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

shownverbUS /ʃoʊn/

inflected form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

speakverbUS /spiːk/

express in speech

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

stepnounUS /step/

any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

thereupon

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

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

thusadverbUS /ðʌs/

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

tracedverbUS /treɪst/

past form of “trace” — follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

volumenounUS /ˈvɑːljuːm/

the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

weeksnounUS /wiːks/

plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading You have given it to your husband; let it be kept, then, only for his gaze; open every page of it for his inspection, and let him correct whatever errors he may find traced thereupon.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

whole-souledadjective

with unconditional and enthusiastic devotion

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

winsnounUS /wɪnz/

plural of “win” — a victory (as in a race or other competition)

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

wonnounUS /wʌn/

the basic unit of money in South Korea

From this reading You speak, in your own whole-souled affectionate manner, of a _friend_ with whom you have met, and whose kindness has so won your affection and gratitude, that you have opened your whole heart to her.

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Your last letter I have read and re-read, not without, I must confess, some little secret misgiving as to whether you have not taken one step to mar the happiness of your married life, now so perfect in its beauty.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading MY DEAR LIZZIE, A severe illness has prevented my answering your kind letter for some weeks, but now I am quite well again, and hope to continue without further interruption our pleasant correspondence.

yourspronounUS /jʊrz/

the one or ones belonging to the person spoken to

From this reading Now, my dear Lizzie, that same little heart of yours is quite too precious a volume to be thus shown to every new comer who wins upon you by a few kindly words.

Chapter 3 of The Wedding Guest by T. S. (Timothy Shay) [Editor] Arthur holds 34 sentences, grouped into 7 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 3 of The Wedding Guest contain?

Chapter 3 holds 34 sentences of The Wedding Guest, unabridged, divided into 7 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The Wedding Guest by T. S. (Timothy Shay) [Editor] Arthur exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 34 sentences, grouped into 7 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 3 of The Wedding Guest?

Work through the 7 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 7 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 Wedding Guest

Common questions about reading The Wedding Guest by T. S. (Timothy Shay) [Editor] Arthur on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Wedding Guest?

Yes. All 2578 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4620 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Wedding Guest is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4620, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Wedding Guest take to read?

About 214 minutes of reading across 516 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Wedding Guest section by section

How to work through The Wedding Guest section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 10 chapters of The Wedding Guest 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 Wedding Guest

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Wedding Guest, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Received
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wedding Guest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pleasing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wedding Guest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Intelligence
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wedding Guest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Marriage
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wedding Guest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.