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The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne
The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne is here in full — 168 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne
Context Illustration Reading 1/33 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.
Balzac, _Physiologie du Marriage_, Med. iv.
Since Eve ate apples much depends on dinner.
Byron, _Don Juan_, Cant. viii.
Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne is here in full — 168 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/33 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.
Line 2
Balzac, _Physiologie du Marriage_, Med. iv.
Line 3
Since Eve ate apples much depends on dinner.
/sɪns iːv eɪt ˈæpəlz mʌtʃ dɪˈpendz ɑːn ˈdɪnər/
Line 4
Byron, _Don Juan_, Cant. viii.
Line 5
Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

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.

Balzac noun US /bɑːlˈzæk/

French novelist; he portrays the complexity of 19th century French society (1799-1850)

From this reading “Balzac, _Physiologie du Marriage_, Med. iv.”

beau noun US /boʊ/

a man who is the lover of a man or woman

From this reading “THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.”

Cant noun US /kænt/

stock phrases that have become nonsense through endless repetition

From this reading “Byron, _Don Juan_, Cant. viii.”

illusions noun US /ˌɪˈluːʒənz/

plural of “illusion” — an erroneous mental representation

From this reading “THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.”

improves verb US /ˌɪmˈpruːvz/

third-person singular of “improve” — to make better

From this reading “Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.”

Med noun US /med/

a master's degree in education

From this reading “Balzac, _Physiologie du Marriage_, Med. iv.”

plus noun US /plʌs/

a useful or valuable quality

From this reading “THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.”

vie verb US /vaɪ/

compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others

From this reading “THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.”

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.

de la noun + noun

In this reading “THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.”

depends on verb + particle counted as “depend on”

be contingent on

In this reading “Since Eve ate apples much depends on dinner.”

All words in this reading · 49

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 THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

applesnounUS /ˈæpəlz/

plural of “apple” — fruit with red or yellow or green skin and sweet to tart crisp whitish flesh

From this reading Since Eve ate apples much depends on dinner.

ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

atenounUS /eɪt/

goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment

From this reading Since Eve ate apples much depends on dinner.

BalzacnounUS /bɑːlˈzæk/

French novelist; he portrays the complexity of 19th century French society (1799-1850)

From this reading Balzac, _Physiologie du Marriage_, Med. iv.

beaunounUS /boʊ/

a man who is the lover of a man or woman

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

ByronnounUS /ˈbaɪrən/

English romantic poet notorious for his rebellious and unconventional lifestyle (1788-1824)

From this reading Byron, _Don Juan_, Cant. viii.

c'est

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

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

CantnounUS /kænt/

stock phrases that have become nonsense through endless repetition

From this reading Byron, _Don Juan_, Cant. viii.

CenounUS /ˌsiːˈiː/

a ductile grey metallic element of the lanthanide series; used in lighter flints; the most abundant of the rare-earth group

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

dans

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

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

denounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

dependsverbUS /dɪˈpendz/

third-person singular of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)

From this reading Since Eve ate apples much depends on dinner.

DINNERnounUS /ˈdɪnər/

the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

discoursenounUS /ˈdɪskɔːrs/

extended verbal expression in speech or writing

From this reading Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

DonnounUS /dɑːn/

a Spanish gentleman or nobleman

From this reading Byron, _Don Juan_, Cant. viii.

du

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

From this reading Balzac, _Physiologie du Marriage_, Med. iv.

EvenounUS /iːv/

(Old Testament) Adam's wife in Judeo-Christian mythology: the first woman and mother of the human race; God created Eve from Adam's rib and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden

From this reading Since Eve ate apples much depends on dinner.

flavournoun

the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people

From this reading Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

forcenounUS /fɔːrs/

a powerful effect or influence

From this reading Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

givesnounUS /ɡɪvz/

plural of “give” — the elasticity of something that can be stretched and returns to its original length

From this reading Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

HOUSEnounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

illusionsnounUS /ˌɪˈluːʒənz/

plural of “illusion” — an erroneous mental representation

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

improvesverbUS /ˌɪmˈpruːvz/

third-person singular of “improve” — to make better

From this reading Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

ivnoun

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading Balzac, _Physiologie du Marriage_, Med. iv.

Juan

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

From this reading Byron, _Don Juan_, Cant. viii.

lanounUS /lɑː/

a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

lesnounUS /les/

plural of “le” — a chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints)

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

MarriagenounUS /ˈmerɪdʒ/

the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)

From this reading Balzac, _Physiologie du Marriage_, Med. iv.

MednounUS /med/

a master's degree in education

From this reading Balzac, _Physiologie du Marriage_, Med. iv.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Since Eve ate apples much depends on dinner.

nativeadjectiveUS /ˈneɪtɪv/

characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin

From this reading Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Since Eve ate apples much depends on dinner.

Physiologie

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

From this reading Balzac, _Physiologie du Marriage_, Med. iv.

pleasantadjectiveUS /ˈplezənt/

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

plusnounUS /plʌs/

a useful or valuable quality

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

qu'il

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

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

SinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Since Eve ate apples much depends on dinner.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

vieverbUS /vaɪ/

compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

viiinoun

the cardinal number that is the sum of seven and one

From this reading Byron, _Don Juan_, Cant. viii.

VILLEBOIS

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

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

whets

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

From this reading Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

WinenounUS /waɪn/

fermented juice (of grapes especially)

From this reading Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

witnounUS /wɪt/

a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter

From this reading Wine whets the wit, improves its native force, And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse.

ynounUS /waɪ/

a silvery metallic element that is common in rare-earth minerals; used in magnesium and aluminum alloys

From this reading THE DINNER AT THE VILLEBOIS' HOUSE Ce qu'il y a de plus beau dans la vie c'est les illusions de la vie.

Chapter 2 of The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne by G. Lindsay (George Lindsay) Johnson holds 168 sentences, grouped into 34 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 2 of The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne contain?

Chapter 2 holds 168 sentences of The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne by G. Lindsay (George Lindsay) Johnson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 168 sentences, grouped into 34 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 2 of The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne?

Work through the 34 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 34 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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.

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Common questions about reading The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne by G. Lindsay (George Lindsay) Johnson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Yes. All 6504 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #56713 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #56713, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne take to read?

About 542 minutes of reading across 1301 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Weird
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Adventures
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Professor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Delapine
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Weird Adventures of Professor Delapine of the Sorbonne; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.