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Windfalls
Windfalls

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of Windfalls is here in full — 394 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Windfalls
Context Illustration Reading 1/78 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.
When I awoke in the morning I made a good resolution....
At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.
How Victorian!”
I think I hear you remark.
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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.

Windfalls

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of Windfalls is here in full — 394 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/78 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.
/ɑːn ɡʊd ˌrezəˈluːʃənz aɪ θɪŋk ɑːn ðə hoʊl ðæt aɪ bɪˈɡæn ðə nuː jɪr wɪð ˈræðər ə ɡʊd dɪˈspleɪ ʌv ˈmɔːrəl ˈfaɪrwɜːrks ənd æz ˈfaɪrwɜːrks ɑːr ment tuː biː siːn ənd ədˈmaɪərd aɪ prəˈpoʊz tuː let ðem ɔːf ɪn ˈpʌblɪk/
Line 2
When I awoke in the morning I made a good resolution....
/wen aɪ əˈwoʊk ɪn ðə ˈmɔːrnɪŋ aɪ meɪd ə ɡʊd ˌrezəˈluːʃən/
Line 3
At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.
/æt ðɪs pɔɪnt ɪf aɪ æm nɑːt mɪˈsteɪkən aɪ əbˈzɜːrv ə slaɪt ˈʃʌdər ɑːn jɔːr pɑːrt ˈmædəm/
Line 4
How Victorian!”
Line 5
I think I hear you remark.
/aɪ θɪŋk aɪ hiːr juː rɪˈmɑːrk/

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.

admired adjective US /ədˈmaɪərd/

regarded with admiration

From this reading “ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.”

display noun US /dɪˈspleɪ/

something intended to communicate a particular impression

From this reading “ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.”

fireworks noun US /ˈfaɪrwɜːrks/

plural of “firework” — (usually plural) a device with an explosive that burns at a low rate and with colored flames; can be used to illuminate areas or send signals etc.

From this reading “ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.”

propose verb US /prəˈpoʊz/

make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading “ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.”

resolution noun US /ˌrezəˈluːʃən/

a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote

From this reading “When I awoke in the morning I made a good resolution....”

resolutions noun US /ˌrezəˈluːʃənz/

plural of “resolution” — a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote

From this reading “ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.”

shudder verb US /ˈʃʌdər/

shake, as from cold

From this reading “At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.”

Victorian adjective US /vɪkˈtɔːriən/

of or relating to Queen Victoria of Great Britain or to the age in which she ruled

From this reading ““How Victorian!””

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.

GOOD RESOLUTIONS adjective + noun counted as “good resolution”

In this reading “ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.”

in the morning preposition + article + noun counted as “in … morning”

In this reading “When I awoke in the morning I made a good resolution....”

in public preposition + noun

in a manner accessible to or observable by the public; openly

In this reading “ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.”

All words in this reading · 55

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 ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

admiredadjectiveUS /ədˈmaɪərd/

regarded with admiration

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.

awokeverbUS /əˈwoʊk/

inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping

From this reading When I awoke in the morning I made a good resolution....

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

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

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

displaynounUS /dɪˈspleɪ/

something intended to communicate a particular impression

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

fireworksnounUS /ˈfaɪrwɜːrks/

plural of “firework” — (usually plural) a device with an explosive that burns at a low rate and with colored flames; can be used to illuminate areas or send signals etc.

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

GOODadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading I think I hear you remark.

How

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

From this reading “How Victorian!”

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

madamnounUS /ˈmædəm/

a woman of refinement

From this reading At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading When I awoke in the morning I made a good resolution....

meantverbUS /ment/

inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

mistakenadjectiveUS /mɪˈsteɪkən/

wrong in e.g. opinion or judgment

From this reading At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.

moraladjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrəl/

concerned with principles of right and wrong or conforming to standards of behavior and character based on those principles

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading When I awoke in the morning I made a good resolution....

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

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

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.

observeverbUS /əbˈzɜːrv/

discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

From this reading At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

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

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.

pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.

proposeverbUS /prəˈpoʊz/

make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

publicnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

remarknounUS /rɪˈmɑːrk/

a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information

From this reading I think I hear you remark.

resolutionnounUS /ˌrezəˈluːʃən/

a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote

From this reading When I awoke in the morning I made a good resolution....

RESOLUTIONSnounUS /ˌrezəˈluːʃənz/

plural of “resolution” — a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

seenverbUS /siːn/

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

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

shudderverbUS /ˈʃʌdər/

shake, as from cold

From this reading At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.

slightnounUS /slaɪt/

a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)

From this reading At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

VictorianadjectiveUS /vɪkˈtɔːriən/

of or relating to Queen Victoria of Great Britain or to the age in which she ruled

From this reading “How Victorian!”

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When I awoke in the morning I made a good resolution....

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

YearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS |I think, on the whole, that I began the New Year with rather a good display of moral fireworks, and as fireworks are meant to be seen (and admired) I propose to let them off in public.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading I think I hear you remark.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading At this point, if I am not mistaken, I observe a slight shudder on your part, madam.

Chapter 8 of Windfalls by A. G. (Alfred George) Gardiner holds 394 sentences, grouped into 79 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 8 of Windfalls contain?

Chapter 8 holds 394 sentences of Windfalls, unabridged, divided into 79 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of Windfalls by A. G. (Alfred George) Gardiner exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 394 sentences, grouped into 79 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 8 of Windfalls?

Work through the 79 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 79 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Windfalls

Common questions about reading Windfalls by A. G. (Alfred George) Gardiner on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Windfalls?

Yes. All 3269 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #47429 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Windfalls is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #47429, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Windfalls take to read?

About 272 minutes of reading across 654 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Windfalls section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 8 chapters of Windfalls 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 Windfalls

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

Think
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Windfalls; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Belongs
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Windfalls; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Because
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Windfalls; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Anything
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Windfalls; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.