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Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1
Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1

Chapter XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1 is here in full — 121 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
JOSEPH POLWARTH.
"Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"
"Nothing could be more to my mind," answered Wingfold.
"And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."
"Indeed it is not that I know much," said the little man.
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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.

Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1

Chapter XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1 is here in full — 121 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
JOSEPH POLWARTH.
Line 2
"Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"
Line 3
"Nothing could be more to my mind," answered Wingfold.
Line 4
"And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."
Line 5
"Indeed it is not that I know much," said the little man.
/ˌɪnˈdiːd ɪt ɪz nɑːt ðæt aɪ noʊ mʌtʃ sed ðə ˈlɪtəl mæn/

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.

anxious adjective US /ˈæŋkʃəs/

eagerly desirous

From this reading “"And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."”

confidence noun US /ˈkɑːnfədəns/

freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading “"Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"”

curiosity noun US /ˌkjʊriˈɑːsəti/

a state in which you want to learn more about something

From this reading “"And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."”

honoured verb US /ˈɑːnərd/

past form of “honour” — bestow honor or rewards upon

From this reading “"Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"”

joseph noun US /ˈdʒoʊsəf/

leader of the Nez Perce in their retreat from United States troops (1840-1904)

From this reading “JOSEPH POLWARTH.”

makes noun US /meɪks/

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading “"And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."”

trust noun US /trʌst/

something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)

From this reading “"And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."”

unworthy adjective US /ənˈwɜːrði/

lacking in value or merit

From this reading “"And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."”

All words in this reading · 52

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.

addedverbUS /ˈædəd/

past form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading "Nothing could be more to my mind," answered Wingfold.

anxiousadjectiveUS /ˈæŋkʃəs/

eagerly desirous

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "Nothing could be more to my mind," answered Wingfold.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

confidencenounUS /ˈkɑːnfədəns/

freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading "Nothing could be more to my mind," answered Wingfold.

curiositynounUS /ˌkjʊriˈɑːsəti/

a state in which you want to learn more about something

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

gate-keeper

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

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

honouredverbUS /ˈɑːnərd/

past form of “honour” — bestow honor or rewards upon

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

how

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

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

IndeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading "Indeed it is not that I know much," said the little man.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

JOSEPHnounUS /ˈdʒoʊsəf/

leader of the Nez Perce in their retreat from United States troops (1840-1904)

From this reading JOSEPH POLWARTH.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading "Indeed it is not that I know much," said the little man.

makesnounUS /meɪks/

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading "Indeed it is not that I know much," said the little man.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading "Nothing could be more to my mind," answered Wingfold.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading "Nothing could be more to my mind," answered Wingfold.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "Indeed it is not that I know much," said the little man.

NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading "Nothing could be more to my mind," answered Wingfold.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

POLWARTH

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

From this reading JOSEPH POLWARTH.

returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Indeed it is not that I know much," said the little man.

Shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Nothing could be more to my mind," answered Wingfold.

trustnounUS /trʌst/

something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

unworthyadjectiveUS /ənˈwɜːrði/

lacking in value or merit

From this reading "And I trust," he added, "it is no unworthy curiosity that makes me anxious to understand how you have come to know so much."

wentverbUS /went/

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

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

Wingfold

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

From this reading "Nothing could be more to my mind," answered Wingfold.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Shall I tell you," the gate-keeper went on, "something of my life, in return of the confidence you have honoured me with?"

Chapter 18 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1 by George MacDonald holds 121 sentences, grouped into 25 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 18 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1 contain?

Chapter 18 holds 121 sentences of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1 by George MacDonald exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 121 sentences, grouped into 25 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 18 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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 Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1

Common questions about reading Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1 by George MacDonald on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1?

Yes. All 2184 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5973 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #5973, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1 take to read?

About 182 minutes of reading across 437 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1 section by section

How to work through Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1

Words and structures a reader meets early in Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Helen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lingard
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Swift
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
November
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.