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The Wonder
The Wonder

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of The Wonder is here in full — 247 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Wonder
Context Illustration Reading 1/49 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.
"'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.
"Your son?"
I said.
I had risen when she came into the room, "No; I haven't seen him to-day."
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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 Wonder

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of The Wonder is here in full — 247 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/49 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.
Line 2
"'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.
/iːz nɑːt er ʃiː sed ɪn ə ˈmænər ðæt left ɪt ˈdaʊtfəl ˈweðər ʃiː meɪd æn əˈsɜːrʃən ɔːr æskt ə ˈkwestʃən/
Line 3
"Your son?"
/jɔːr sʌn/
Line 4
I said.
/aɪ sed/
Line 5
I had risen when she came into the room, "No; I haven't seen him to-day."

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.

assertion noun US /əˈsɜːrʃən/

a declaration that is made emphatically (as if no supporting evidence were necessary)

From this reading “"'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.”

doubtful adjective US /ˈdaʊtfəl/

open to doubt or suspicion

From this reading “"'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.”

E's noun US /iːz/

possessive form of “e” — a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body

From this reading “"'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.”

ere conjunction US /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading “"'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.”

knocking noun US /ˈnɑːkɪŋ/

the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)

From this reading “RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.”

release verb US /riˈliːs/

release, as from one's grip

From this reading “RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.”

risen adjective US /ˈrɪzən/

(of e.g. celestial bodies) above the horizon

From this reading “I had risen when she came into the room, "No; I haven't seen him to-day."”

straight adjective US /streɪt/

successive (without a break)

From this reading “RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.”

All words in this reading · 44

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 "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

assertionnounUS /əˈsɜːrʃən/

a declaration that is made emphatically (as if no supporting evidence were necessary)

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

doubtfuladjectiveUS /ˈdaʊtfəl/

open to doubt or suspicion

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

E'snounUS /iːz/

possessive form of “e” — a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

ereconjunctionUS /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading I had risen when she came into the room, "No; I haven't seen him to-day."

haven't

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

From this reading I had risen when she came into the room, "No; I haven't seen him to-day."

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading I had risen when she came into the room, "No; I haven't seen him to-day."

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

knockingnounUS /ˈnɑːkɪŋ/

the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

mannernounUS /ˈmænər/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading I had risen when she came into the room, "No; I haven't seen him to-day."

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/

used of mouth or eyes

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

questionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

RELEASEverbUS /riˈliːs/

release, as from one's grip

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

risenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪzən/

(of e.g. celestial bodies) above the horizon

From this reading I had risen when she came into the room, "No; I haven't seen him to-day."

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading I had risen when she came into the room, "No; I haven't seen him to-day."

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading I had risen when she came into the room, "No; I haven't seen him to-day."

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

sitting-room

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

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

sonnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading "Your son?"

straightadjectiveUS /streɪt/

successive (without a break)

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

to-day

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

From this reading I had risen when she came into the room, "No; I haven't seen him to-day."

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading I had risen when she came into the room, "No; I haven't seen him to-day."

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading "'E's not 'ere," she said in a manner that left it doubtful whether she made an assertion or asked a question.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading RELEASE I She opened the front door without knocking, and came straight into my sitting-room.

YourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Your son?"

Chapter 17 of The Wonder by J. D. (John Davys) Beresford holds 247 sentences, grouped into 50 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 17 of The Wonder contain?

Chapter 17 holds 247 sentences of The Wonder, unabridged, divided into 50 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of The Wonder by J. D. (John Davys) Beresford exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 247 sentences, grouped into 50 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 17 of The Wonder?

Work through the 50 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 50 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 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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 Wonder

Common questions about reading The Wonder by J. D. (John Davys) Beresford on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Wonder?

Yes. All 3705 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #27188 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Wonder is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #27188, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Wonder take to read?

About 308 minutes of reading across 741 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Wonder section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 19 chapters of The Wonder 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 Wonder

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

Beresford
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wonder; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wonder; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
These
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wonder; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lynnekers
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wonder; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.