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This Freedom
This Freedom

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of This Freedom is here in full — 252 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for This Freedom
Context Illustration Reading 1/50 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The lessons with Hilda period lasted till Rosalie was twelve.
Take her off your mother’s hands.
That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.
She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.
Men, like dogs, were much more satisfactory: that was it.
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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.

This Freedom

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of This Freedom is here in full — 252 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/50 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The lessons with Hilda period lasted till Rosalie was twelve.
Line 2
Take her off your mother’s hands.
/teɪk hɜːr ɔːf jɔːr ˈmʌðərz hændz/
Line 3
That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.
Line 4
She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.
/ʃiː nuː naʊ ðæt ðə wɜːrld dɪd nɑːt bɪˈlɔːŋ tuː men ɪn ðə ˈlɪtərəl sens bʌt bɪˈlɔːŋd æz hɜːr ˈmʌðər hæd ˌɪnˈstrʌktəd hɜːr tuː ɡɑːd bʌt ʃiː nuː wɪð ðə əˈbʌndənt ˈevədəns ʌv ɔːl ðæt went ɑːn əˈbaʊt hɜːr ðæt ˈevriθɪŋ ɪn ðə wɜːrld wɑːz dʌn fɔːr men ənd ðæt ˈwɪmən wɜːr ˈlɑːrdʒli ˈɑːkjəpaɪd ɪn ˈduːɪŋ ɪt ənd ʃiː nuː frʌm ðə seɪm ˈtestəmoʊni ðæt men wɜːr mʌtʃ mɔːr ˈɪntrəstɪŋ tuː wɑːtʃ ðæn ˈwɪmən ˈræðər ɪn ðə weɪ ðæt dɑːɡz wɜːr mʌtʃ mɔːr ˈɪntrəstɪŋ ðæn kæts/
Line 5
Men, like dogs, were much more satisfactory: that was it.
/men laɪk dɑːɡz wɜːr mʌtʃ mɔːr ˌsætəˈsfæktri ðæt wɑːz ɪt/

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.

abundant adjective US /əˈbʌndənt/

present in great quantity

From this reading “She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.”

haven noun US /ˈheɪvən/

a shelter serving as a place of safety or sanctuary

From this reading “That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.”

instructed verb US /ˌɪnˈstrʌktəd/

past form of “instruct” — impart skills or knowledge to

From this reading “She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.”

instruction noun US /ˌɪnˈstrʌkʃən/

a message describing how something is to be done

From this reading “That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.”

largely adverb US /ˈlɑːrdʒli/

in large part; mainly or chiefly

From this reading “She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.”

literal adjective US /ˈlɪtərəl/

being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something

From this reading “She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.”

obsession noun US /əbˈseʃən/

an irrational motive for performing trivial or repetitive actions, even against your will

From this reading “That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.”

schoolroom noun US /ˈskuːlruːm/

a room in a school where lessons take place

From this reading “That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.”

All words in this reading · 96

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 That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

abundantadjectiveUS /əˈbʌndənt/

present in great quantity

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

AnnanounUS /ˈænə/

a former copper coin of Pakistan and India

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

baynounUS /beɪ/

an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

belongverbUS /bɪˈlɔːŋ/

be owned by; be in the possession of

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

belongedverbUS /bɪˈlɔːŋd/

past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

catsnounUS /kæts/

plural of “cat” — feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

companynounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

dogsnounUS /dɑːɡz/

plural of “dog” — a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

doingverbUS /ˈduːɪŋ/

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

evidencenounUS /ˈevədəns/

your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/

possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

FloranounUS /ˈflɔːrə/

all the plant life in a particular region or period

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading “Take her off your mother’s hands.

havennounUS /ˈheɪvən/

a shelter serving as a place of safety or sanctuary

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading “Take her off your mother’s hands.

herspronounUS /hərz/

the one or ones belonging to her

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

Hilda

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

From this reading The lessons with Hilda period lasted till Rosalie was twelve.

importantadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtənt/

of great significance or value

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

infinitelyadverbUS /ˈɪnfənətli/

without bounds

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

instructedverbUS /ˌɪnˈstrʌktəd/

past form of “instruct” — impart skills or knowledge to

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

instructionnounUS /ˌɪnˈstrʌkʃən/

a message describing how something is to be done

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

interestingadjectiveUS /ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/

arousing or holding the attention

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

kneenounUS /niː/

hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

largelyadverbUS /ˈlɑːrdʒli/

in large part; mainly or chiefly

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

lastedverbUS /ˈlæstəd/

past form of “last” — persist for a specified period of time

From this reading The lessons with Hilda period lasted till Rosalie was twelve.

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 That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

lessonsnounUS /ˈlesənz/

plural of “lesson” — a unit of instruction

From this reading The lessons with Hilda period lasted till Rosalie was twelve.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

literaladjectiveUS /ˈlɪtərəl/

being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/

possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading “Take her off your mother’s hands.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

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

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

obsessionnounUS /əbˈseʃən/

an irrational motive for performing trivial or repetitive actions, even against your will

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

occupiedadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪd/

held or filled or in use

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading “Take her off your mother’s hands.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

periodnounUS /ˈpɪriəd/

an amount of time

From this reading The lessons with Hilda period lasted till Rosalie was twelve.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

Rosalie

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

From this reading The lessons with Hilda period lasted till Rosalie was twelve.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

satisfactoryadjectiveUS /ˌsætəˈsfæktri/

giving satisfaction

From this reading Men, like dogs, were much more satisfactory: that was it.

schoolnounUS /skuːl/

an educational institution

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

schoolroomnounUS /ˈskuːlruːm/

a room in a school where lessons take place

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

shipverbUS /ʃɪp/

transport commercially

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

TakeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading “Take her off your mother’s hands.

testimonynounUS /ˈtestəmoʊni/

a solemn statement made under oath

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

That's

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

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The lessons with Hilda period lasted till Rosalie was twelve.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading The lessons with Hilda period lasted till Rosalie was twelve.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

twelvenounUS /twelv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading The lessons with Hilda period lasted till Rosalie was twelve.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The lessons with Hilda period lasted till Rosalie was twelve.

watchverbUS /wɑːtʃ/

look attentively

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The lessons with Hilda period lasted till Rosalie was twelve.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

wonderfuladjectiveUS /ˈwʌndərfəl/

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading She knew now that the world did not belong to men in the literal sense, but belonged, as her mother had instructed her, to God; but she knew with the abundant evidence of all that went on about her that everything in the world was done for men and that women were largely occupied in doing it; and she knew, from the same testimony, that men were much more interesting to watch than women, rather in the way that dogs were much more interesting than cats.

you've

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

From this reading That’s what you’ve left school for,” was her father’s instruction to Hilda; and so there was Rosalie, put out from her mother’s knee to the schoolroom like a small new ship out from the haven to the bay; and there was that small mind of hers come in to the company of Hilda and of Flora and of Anna with the obsession that men were infinitely more important and much more wonderful than women.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Take her off your mother’s hands.

Chapter 4 of This Freedom by A. S. M. (Arthur Stuart-Menteth) Hutchinson holds 252 sentences, grouped into 51 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 4 of This Freedom contain?

Chapter 4 holds 252 sentences of This Freedom, unabridged, divided into 51 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of This Freedom by A. S. M. (Arthur Stuart-Menteth) Hutchinson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 252 sentences, grouped into 51 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 4 of This Freedom?

Work through the 51 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 51 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 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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 This Freedom

Common questions about reading This Freedom by A. S. M. (Arthur Stuart-Menteth) Hutchinson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of This Freedom?

Yes. All 7357 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6415 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of This Freedom is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #6415, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does This Freedom take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1472 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read This Freedom section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 31 chapters of This Freedom 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 This Freedom

Words and structures a reader meets early in This Freedom, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Flora
A word that appears in the opening chapter of This Freedom; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sharp
A word that appears in the opening chapter of This Freedom; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Astounding
A word that appears in the opening chapter of This Freedom; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Reply
A word that appears in the opening chapter of This Freedom; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.