Chapter 20 of Zuleika Dobson is here in full — 218 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XX
Chapter 20 of Zuleika Dobson is here in full — 218 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand. Blanched, both of them, yes. He laid them on the table. “Take them,” he said. “No,” she shuddered.
Chapter 20 of Zuleika Dobson is here in full — 218 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/43 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
-ing form of “contemplate” — look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought
From this reading “The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.”
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading “The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.”
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading “The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.”
set down according to a plan
From this reading “He laid them on the table.”
the inner surface of the hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers
From this reading “The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.”
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading “The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.”
past form of “shudder” — shake, as from cold
From this reading ““No,” she shuddered.”
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading “He laid them on the table.”
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.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
anemic looking from illness or emotion
From this reading Blanched, both of them, yes.
the two together, not just one
From this reading Blanched, both of them, yes.
-ing form of “contemplate” — look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He laid them on the table.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
set down according to a plan
From this reading He laid them on the table.
not any; not one
From this reading “No,” she shuddered.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He laid them on the table.
the inner surface of the hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Take them,” he said.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “No,” she shuddered.
past form of “shudder” — shake, as from cold
From this reading “No,” she shuddered.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading He laid them on the table.
carry out
From this reading “Take them,” he said.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
a man's sleeveless garment worn underneath a coat
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Duke had drawn her ear-rings from his waistcoat pocket, and was contemplating them in the palm of his hand.
an affirmative
From this reading Blanched, both of them, yes.
Chapter 20 of Zuleika Dobson by Max, Sir Beerbohm holds 218 sentences, grouped into 44 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.
Chapter 20 holds 218 sentences of Zuleika Dobson, unabridged, divided into 44 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 20 of Zuleika Dobson by Max, Sir Beerbohm exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 218 sentences, grouped into 44 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.
Work through the 44 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 44 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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.
Common questions about reading Zuleika Dobson by Max, Sir Beerbohm on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6004 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1845 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1845, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 500 minutes of reading across 1201 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Zuleika Dobson section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 28 chapters of Zuleika Dobson to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Zuleika Dobson, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
