Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Viola's vanity
Viola's vanity

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of Viola's vanity is here in full — 71 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Viola's vanity
Context Illustration Reading 1/14 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.
Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.
The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.
Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:
Go back, all of you!
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.

Viola's vanity

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of Viola's vanity is here in full — 71 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/14 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.
/ðə mɪˈstɪriəs ˈstreɪndʒər/
Line 2
Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.
/ˈsʌdən æz ə ˈθʌndərbɔːlt frʌm ə klɪr skaɪ wɑːz ðə tʃeɪndʒ ðæt keɪm ˈoʊvər ðə ɡeɪ ˈpɑːrti ʌv ˈskeɪtərz ənd ðə əˈplɔːdɪŋ ˈspekteɪtərz æz ðeɪ ˈekoʊd ðə laʊd ˈhɔːrəfaɪd ʃriːk ʌv vaɪˈoʊlə ˈkræʃɪŋ θruː ðə θɪn aɪs ənd ˌdɪsəˈpɪrɪŋ ˈɪntuː ðə depθs ʌv ðə ˈrɪvər bɪˈloʊ/
Line 3
The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.
Line 4
Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:
Line 5
Go back, all of you!
/ɡoʊ bæk ɔːl ʌv juː/

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.

applauding verb US /əˈplɔːdɪŋ/

-ing form of “applaud” — clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval

From this reading “Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.”

authoritatively adverb US /əˌθɔːrəˈteɪtɪvli/

in an authoritative and magisterial manner

From this reading “Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:”

imminent adjective US /ˈɪmənənt/

close in time; about to occur

From this reading “Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:”

paled verb US /peɪld/

past form of “pale” — turn pale, as if in fear

From this reading “The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.”

skaters noun US /ˈskeɪtərz/

plural of “skater” — someone who skates

From this reading “Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.”

thunderbolt noun US /ˈθʌndərbɔːlt/

a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder

From this reading “Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.”

venturing verb US /ˈventʃərɪŋ/

-ing form of “venture” — proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers

From this reading “The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.”

Viola noun US /vaɪˈoʊlə/

any of the numerous plants of the genus Viola

From this reading “Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

heavy weight adjective + noun

In this reading “The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.”

thin ice adjective + noun

In this reading “Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.”

MYSTERIOUS STRANGER adjective + noun

In this reading “THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.”

clear sky verb + noun

In this reading “Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.”

at once preposition + adverb

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

In this reading “Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:”

masculine voice adjective + noun

In this reading “Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:”

into the depths preposition + article + noun counted as “into … depths”

In this reading “Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.”

Go back verb + particle

belong to an earlier time

In this reading ““Go back, all of you!”

All words in this reading · 102

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 Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

agoadverbUS /əˈɡoʊ/

in the past

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

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 The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

applaudingverbUS /əˈplɔːdɪŋ/

-ing form of “applaud” — clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

aroseverbUS /ərˈoʊz/

inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

authoritativelyadverbUS /əˌθɔːrəˈteɪtɪvli/

in an authoritative and magisterial manner

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading “Go back, all of you!

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

clearverbUS /klɪr/

rid of obstructions

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

crashingadjectiveUS /ˈkræʃɪŋ/

informal intensifiers

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

crowdverbUS /kraʊd/

cause to herd, drive, or crowd together

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

cryingadjectiveUS /ˈkraɪɪŋ/

demanding attention

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

crystalnounUS /ˈkrɪstəl/

a solid formed by the solidification of a chemical and having a highly regular atomic structure

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

depthsnounUS /depθs/

(plural) the deepest and most remote part

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

disappearingnounUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrɪŋ/

the act of leaving secretly or without explanation

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

dreadfuladjectiveUS /ˈdredfəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

echoedverbUS /ˈekoʊd/

past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

facesnounUS /ˈfeɪsəz/

plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

fellverbUS /fel/

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/

at or to or toward the front

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

gayadjectiveUS /ɡeɪ/

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

GoverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading “Go back, all of you!

griefnounUS /ɡriːf/

intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

holenounUS /hoʊl/

an opening into or through something

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

horrifiedadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːrəfaɪd/

stricken with horror

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

icenounUS /aɪs/

water frozen in the solid state

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

imminentadjectiveUS /ˈɪmənənt/

close in time; about to occur

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

laughingadjectiveUS /ˈlæfɪŋ/

showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

lossnounUS /lɔːs/

something that is lost

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

loudadjectiveUS /laʊd/

characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

madadjectiveUS /mæd/

roused to anger

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

masculineadjectiveUS /ˈmæskjələn/

of grammatical gender

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

MYSTERIOUSadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/

of an obscure nature

From this reading THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

others

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

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

paledverbUS /peɪld/

past form of “pale” — turn pale, as if in fear

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

panicnounUS /ˈpænɪk/

an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

partynounUS /ˈpɑːrti/

an organization to gain political power

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

pell-melladjective

with undue hurry and confusion

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

pressingnounUS /ˈpresɪŋ/

the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

rangverbUS /ræŋ/

inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

rivernounUS /ˈrɪvər/

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

rushverbUS /rʌʃ/

move hurridly

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

sheetnounUS /ʃiːt/

any broad thin expanse or surface

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

shorenounUS /ʃɔːr/

the land along the edge of a body of water

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

shrieknounUS /ʃriːk/

sharp piercing cry

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

skatersnounUS /ˈskeɪtərz/

plural of “skater” — someone who skates

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

SomeadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

spectatorsnounUS /ˈspekteɪtərz/

plural of “spectator” — a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind)

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

STRANGERnounUS /ˈstreɪndʒər/

anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found

From this reading THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.

SuddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

terribleadjectiveUS /ˈterəbəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

terrornounUS /ˈterər/

an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

thrillingadjectiveUS /ˈθrɪlɪŋ/

causing a surge of emotion or excitement

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

thunderboltnounUS /ˈθʌndərbɔːlt/

a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

trampledverbUS /ˈtræmpəld/

past form of “trample” — tread or stomp heavily or roughly

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

trembleverbUS /ˈtrembəl/

move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

venturingverbUS /ˈventʃərɪŋ/

-ing form of “venture” — proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

ViolanounUS /vaɪˈoʊlə/

any of the numerous plants of the genus Viola

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

voicenounUS /vɔɪs/

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Sudden as a thunderbolt from a clear sky was the change that came over the gay party of skaters and the applauding spectators as they echoed the loud, horrified shriek of Viola crashing through the thin ice and disappearing into the depths of the river below.

weightnounUS /weɪt/

the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Some fell down, and were trampled in the mad rush of others, and a dreadful loss of life seemed imminent, when all at once there rang out, high over every other sound, a loud, thrilling, masculine voice, crying authoritatively:

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The faces but a moment ago so gay and laughing, paled with grief and terror, and a terrible panic arose, all the skaters pressing forward toward the hole in the ice, the crowd on the shore also venturing out pell-mell, till the crystal sheet began to tremble with their heavy weight.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Go back, all of you!

Chapter 5 of Viola's vanity by Alex. McVeigh, Mrs. Miller holds 71 sentences, grouped into 15 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 5 of Viola's vanity contain?

Chapter 5 holds 71 sentences of Viola's vanity, unabridged, divided into 15 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Viola's vanity by Alex. McVeigh, Mrs. Miller exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 71 sentences, grouped into 15 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 5 of Viola's vanity?

Work through the 15 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 15 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Viola's vanity

Common questions about reading Viola's vanity by Alex. McVeigh, Mrs. Miller on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Viola's vanity?

Yes. All 2853 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #74796 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Viola's vanity is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #74796, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Viola's vanity take to read?

About 237 minutes of reading across 571 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Viola's vanity section by section

How to work through Viola's vanity section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Viola's vanity 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 Viola's vanity

Words and structures a reader meets early in Viola's vanity, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Viols
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Viola's vanity; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Played
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Viola's vanity; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lamps
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Viola's vanity; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Above
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Viola's vanity; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.