Chapter 2 of The Window-Gazer is here in full — 276 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of The Window-Gazer is here in full — 276 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Yawningly, the professor reached for his watch. It had run down. "Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused. "Perhaps," with rising dismay, "there isn't any breakfast to wake them for!" He felt suddenly ravenous and hurried into his clothes.
Chapter 2 of The Window-Gazer is here in full — 276 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/55 · 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.
the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
From this reading “"Perhaps," with rising dismay, "there isn't any breakfast to wake them for!"”
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading “"Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused.”
plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading “"Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused.”
moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste
From this reading “He felt suddenly ravenous and hurried into his clothes.”
past form of “muse” — reflect deeply on a subject
From this reading “"Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused.”
someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university
From this reading “Yawningly, the professor reached for his watch.”
extremely hungry
From this reading “He felt suddenly ravenous and hurried into his clothes.”
be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading “"Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused.”
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 to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He felt suddenly ravenous and hurried into his clothes.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "Perhaps," with rising dismay, "there isn't any breakfast to wake them for!"
eat an early morning meal
From this reading "Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused.
clothing in general
From this reading He felt suddenly ravenous and hurried into his clothes.
the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
From this reading "Perhaps," with rising dismay, "there isn't any breakfast to wake them for!"
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading It had run down.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading "Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He felt suddenly ravenous and hurried into his clothes.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Yawningly, the professor reached for his watch.
plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading "Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It had run down.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Yawningly, the professor reached for his watch.
moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste
From this reading He felt suddenly ravenous and hurried into his clothes.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He felt suddenly ravenous and hurried into his clothes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Perhaps," with rising dismay, "there isn't any breakfast to wake them for!"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had run down.
past form of “muse” — reflect deeply on a subject
From this reading "Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused.
by chance
From this reading "Perhaps," with rising dismay, "there isn't any breakfast to wake them for!"
someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university
From this reading Yawningly, the professor reached for his watch.
extremely hungry
From this reading He felt suddenly ravenous and hurried into his clothes.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Yawningly, the professor reached for his watch.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading "Perhaps," with rising dismay, "there isn't any breakfast to wake them for!"
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading It had run down.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading He felt suddenly ravenous and hurried into his clothes.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Yawningly, the professor reached for his watch.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "Perhaps," with rising dismay, "there isn't any breakfast to wake them for!"
in or at that place or location
From this reading "Perhaps," with rising dismay, "there isn't any breakfast to wake them for!"
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Perhaps," with rising dismay, "there isn't any breakfast to wake them for!"
be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading "Evidently they do not wake guests for breakfast," he mused.
look attentively
From this reading Yawningly, the professor reached for his watch.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Perhaps," with rising dismay, "there isn't any breakfast to wake them for!"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yawningly, the professor reached for his watch.
Chapter 2 of The Window-Gazer by Isabel Ecclestone Mackay holds 276 sentences, grouped into 56 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 2 holds 276 sentences of The Window-Gazer, unabridged, divided into 56 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of The Window-Gazer by Isabel Ecclestone Mackay exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 276 sentences, grouped into 56 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 56 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 56 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 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.
Common questions about reading The Window-Gazer by Isabel Ecclestone Mackay on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 7711 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4284 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #4284, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1543 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Window-Gazer section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 38 chapters of The Window-Gazer 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 Window-Gazer, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
