Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Wouldbegoods
The Wouldbegoods

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of The Wouldbegoods is here in full — 300 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Wouldbegoods
Context Illustration Reading 1/60 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It really was not such a bad baby--for a baby.
Its face was round and quite clean, which babies faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.
It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.
I wonder whose baby it is,’ Dora said.
Isn’t it a darling, Alice?’
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 Wouldbegoods

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of The Wouldbegoods is here in full — 300 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/60 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It really was not such a bad baby--for a baby.
Line 2
Its face was round and quite clean, which babiesfaces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.
Line 3
It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.
Line 4
I wonder whose baby it is,’ Dora said.
Line 5
Isn’t it a darling, Alice?’

All words in this reading · 73

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.

a

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

From this reading It really was not such a bad baby--for a baby.

Alice

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

From this reading ‘Isn’t it a darling, Alice?’

always

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

and

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

another

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

are

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

as

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

babies

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

baby

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

From this reading It really was not such a bad baby--for a baby.

bad

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

From this reading It really was not such a bad baby--for a baby.

be

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

by

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

can

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

cape

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

clean

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

daresay

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

darling

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

From this reading ‘Isn’t it a darling, Alice?’

don't

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

Dora

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

face

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

faces

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

for

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

From this reading It really was not such a bad baby--for a baby.

how

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

I

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

in

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

is

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

From this reading ‘I wonder whose baby it is,’ Dora said.

Isn't

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

From this reading ‘Isn’t it a darling, Alice?’

It

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

From this reading It really was not such a bad baby--for a baby.

Its

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

itself

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

kind

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

know

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

lace

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

lane

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

leads

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

may

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

mill

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

myself

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

not

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

From this reading It really was not such a bad baby--for a baby.

of

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

one

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

own

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

perambulator

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

quite

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

real

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

realler

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

really

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

From this reading It really was not such a bad baby--for a baby.

relatives

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

round

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

said

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

saw

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

see

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

sort

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

standing

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

such

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

From this reading It really was not such a bad baby--for a baby.

swagger

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

than

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

that

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

the

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

to

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

trimmed

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

very

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

was

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

From this reading It really was not such a bad baby--for a baby.

we

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

whatever

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

when

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

From this reading It was in a very swagger sort of perambulator when we saw it; and the perambulator was standing quite by itself in the lane that leads to the mill.

which

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

whose

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

From this reading ‘I wonder whose baby it is,’ Dora said.

with

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

wonder

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

From this reading ‘I wonder whose baby it is,’ Dora said.

you

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

your

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

youthful

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

From this reading Its face was round and quite clean, which babies’ faces are not always, as I daresay you know by your own youthful relatives; and Dora said its cape was trimmed with real lace, whatever that may be--I don’t see myself how one kind of lace can be realler than another.

Chapter 8 of The Wouldbegoods by E. (Edith) Nesbit holds 300 sentences, grouped into 60 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 8 of The Wouldbegoods contain?

Chapter 8 holds 300 sentences of The Wouldbegoods, unabridged, divided into 60 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of The Wouldbegoods by E. (Edith) Nesbit exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 300 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 8 of The Wouldbegoods?

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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Wouldbegoods

Common questions about reading The Wouldbegoods by E. (Edith) Nesbit on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Wouldbegoods?

Yes. All 4724 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #794 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Wouldbegoods is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #794, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Wouldbegoods take to read?

About 393 minutes of reading across 945 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Wouldbegoods section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 14 chapters of The Wouldbegoods 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 Wouldbegoods

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

Children
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wouldbegoods; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Proper
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wouldbegoods; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Place
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wouldbegoods; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stand
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wouldbegoods; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.