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Work: A Story of Experience
Work: A Story of Experience

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Work: A Story of Experience is here in full — 264 sentences across 53 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/52 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
WAKING UP.
Every thing _did_ go beautifully for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had got religion.”
A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.
She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.
She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.
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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.

Work: A Story of Experience

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Work: A Story of Experience is here in full — 264 sentences across 53 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/52 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
WAKING UP.
/ˈweɪ.kɪŋ ʌp/
Line 2
Every thing _did_ “go beautifullyfor a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really hadgot religion.”
/ˈevəri θɪŋ dɪd ɡoʊ ˈbjuːtəfli fɔːr ə taɪm soʊ mʌtʃ soʊ ðæt ˈkrɪsti bɪˈɡæn tuː θɪŋk ʃiː ˈrɪli hæd ɡɑːt rɪˈlɪdʒən/
Line 3
A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.
Line 4
She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.
/ʃiː hæd noʊn sʌtʃ muːdz bɪˈfɔːr bʌt ðeɪ hæd ˈnevər ˈlæstəd lɔːŋ ənd wɜːr nɑːt soʊ ˌɪnˈtens æz ðɪs ˈðerfɔːr ʃiː wɑːz ʃʊr sʌm blest ˈpaʊər hæd kʌm tuː əpˈhoʊld ənd tʃɪr hɜːr/
Line 5
She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.
/ʃiː sæŋ laɪk ə lɑːrk æz ʃiː swept ənd ˈdʌstɪd θɔːt haɪ ənd ˈhæpi θɔːts əˈmʌŋ ðə pɑːts ənd ˈketəlz ənd wen ʃiː sæt ˈsoʊɪŋ smaɪld ˌʌnˈkɑːnʃəsli æz ɪf sʌm diːp ˌsætəˈsfækʃən meɪd ˈsʌnʃaɪn frʌm wɪˈðɪn/

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.

Christie noun US /ˈkrɪsti/

prolific English writer of detective stories (1890-1976)

From this reading “Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.””

dullest adjective US /ˈdʌləst/

superlative of “dull” — lacking in liveliness or animation

From this reading “A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.”

dusted verb US /ˈdʌstɪd/

past form of “dust” — remove the dust from

From this reading “She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.”

kettles noun US /ˈketəlz/

plural of “kettle” — a metal pot for stewing or boiling; usually has a lid

From this reading “She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.”

lark noun US /lɑːrk/

North American songbirds having a yellow breast

From this reading “She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.”

pervaded verb US /pərˈveɪdɪd/

past form of “pervade” — spread or diffuse through

From this reading “A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.”

pots noun US /pɑːts/

plural of “pot” — metal or earthenware cooking vessel that is usually round and deep; often has a handle and lid

From this reading “She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.”

uphold verb US /əpˈhoʊld/

keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last

From this reading “She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.”

All words in this reading · 101

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 Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

agreeableadjectiveUS /əˈɡriːəbəl/

conforming to your own liking or feelings or nature

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

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 A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

beautifullyadverbUS /ˈbjuːtəfli/

in a beautiful manner

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

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

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

blessedadjectiveUS /blest/

highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

cheerverbUS /tʃɪr/

give encouragement to

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

ChristienounUS /ˈkrɪsti/

prolific English writer of detective stories (1890-1976)

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

deepadjectiveUS /diːp/

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

delightfuladjectiveUS /dɪˈlaɪtfəl/

greatly pleasing or entertaining

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

dullestadjectiveUS /ˈdʌləst/

superlative of “dull” — lacking in liveliness or animation

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

dustedverbUS /ˈdʌstɪd/

past form of “dust” — remove the dust from

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

enemiesnounUS /ˈenəmiz/

plural of “enemy” — an opposing military force

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

forgiveverbUS /fərˈɡɪv/

stop blaming or grant forgiveness

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

friendsnounUS /frendz/

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

gloriousadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɔːriəs/

having or deserving or conferring glory

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

grewverbUS /ɡruː/

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

inexpressiblyadverb

to an inexpressible degree

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

intenseadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtens/

possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

kettlesnounUS /ˈketəlz/

plural of “kettle” — a metal pot for stewing or boiling; usually has a lid

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

larknounUS /lɑːrk/

North American songbirds having a yellow breast

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

lastedverbUS /ˈlæstəd/

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

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

moodsnounUS /muːdz/

plural of “mood” — a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

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

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

peacenounUS /piːs/

the state prevailing during the absence of war

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

pervadedverbUS /pərˈveɪdɪd/

past form of “pervade” — spread or diffuse through

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

potsnounUS /pɑːts/

plural of “pot” — metal or earthenware cooking vessel that is usually round and deep; often has a handle and lid

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

religionnounUS /rɪˈlɪdʒən/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

sangnounUS /sæŋ/

North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

satisfactionnounUS /ˌsætəˈsfækʃən/

the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

sewingnounUS /ˈsoʊɪŋ/

joining or attaching by stitches

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

smiledverbUS /smaɪld/

past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

sunshinenounUS /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/

the rays of the sun

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

sweptadjectiveUS /swept/

possessing sweep

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

tasknounUS /tæsk/

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A delightful peace pervaded her soul, a new interest made the dullest task agreeable, and life grew so inexpressibly sweet that she felt as if she could forgive all her enemies, love her friends more than ever, and do any thing great, good, or glorious.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

thoughtsnounUS /θɔːts/

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Every thing _did_ “go beautifully” for a time; so much so, that Christie began to think she really had “got religion.”

unconsciouslyadverbUS /ˌʌnˈkɑːnʃəsli/

without awareness

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

UPadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading WAKING UP.

upholdverbUS /əpˈhoʊld/

keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

WAKINGadjectiveUS /ˈweɪ.kɪŋ/

Risen from sleep; conscious.

From this reading WAKING UP.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading She had known such moods before, but they had never lasted long, and were not so intense as this; therefore, she was sure some blessed power had come to uphold and cheer her.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading She sang like a lark as she swept and dusted; thought high and happy thoughts among the pots and kettles, and, when she sat sewing, smiled unconsciously as if some deep satisfaction made sunshine from within.

Chapter 12 of Work: A Story of Experience by Louisa May Alcott holds 264 sentences, grouped into 53 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 12 of Work: A Story of Experience contain?

Chapter 12 holds 264 sentences of Work: A Story of Experience, unabridged, divided into 53 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Work: A Story of Experience by Louisa May Alcott exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 264 sentences, grouped into 53 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 12 of Work: A Story of Experience?

Work through the 53 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 53 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Work: A Story of Experience

Common questions about reading Work: A Story of Experience by Louisa May Alcott on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Work: A Story of Experience?

Yes. All 4544 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4770 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Work: A Story of Experience is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4770, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Work: A Story of Experience take to read?

About 378 minutes of reading across 909 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Work: A Story of Experience section by section

How to work through Work: A Story of Experience section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 19 chapters of Work: A Story of Experience 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 Work: A Story of Experience

Words and structures a reader meets early in Work: A Story of Experience, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Servant
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Work: A Story of Experience; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fortnight
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Work: A Story of Experience; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Later
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Work: A Story of Experience; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Christie
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Work: A Story of Experience; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.