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A Flat Iron for a Farthing
A Flat Iron for a Farthing

Chapter VIII

Cover illustration for A Flat Iron for a Farthing
Context Illustration Reading 1/13 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.
But our ideas were no novelty to her, as we soon discovered.
In truth, at nine years old, she was a bit of an enthusiast.
She read with avidity religious biographies furnished by Miss Blomfield.
She was delicate in health, but reticent and resolute in character.
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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.

A Flat Iron for a Farthing

Chapter VIII

Reading 1/13 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.
Line 2
But our ideas were no novelty to her, as we soon discovered.
Line 3
In truth, at nine years old, she was a bit of an enthusiast.
Line 4
She read with avidity religious biographies furnished by Miss Blomfield.
Line 5
She was delicate in health, but reticent and resolute in character.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.”

Quite noun US /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.”

Soon noun US /soon/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But our ideas were no novelty to her, as we soon discovered.”

All words in this reading · 63

Every word is available to listen to. 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 VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

ally

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She was delicate in health, but reticent and resolute in character.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading In truth, at nine years old, she was a bit of an enthusiast.

avidity

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

From this reading She read with avidity religious biographies furnished by Miss Blomfield.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

biographies

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

From this reading She read with avidity religious biographies furnished by Miss Blomfield.

bit

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

From this reading In truth, at nine years old, she was a bit of an enthusiast.

Blomfield

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

From this reading She read with avidity religious biographies furnished by Miss Blomfield.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading She read with avidity religious biographies furnished by Miss Blomfield.

character

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

From this reading She was delicate in health, but reticent and resolute in character.

charitable

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

convert

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

Cousin

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

delicate

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

From this reading She was delicate in health, but reticent and resolute in character.

discovered

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

From this reading But our ideas were no novelty to her, as we soon discovered.

enthusiast

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

From this reading In truth, at nine years old, she was a bit of an enthusiast.

expected

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

find

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

furnished

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

From this reading She read with avidity religious biographies furnished by Miss Blomfield.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

health

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

From this reading She was delicate in health, but reticent and resolute in character.

Helen

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading But our ideas were no novelty to her, as we soon discovered.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

ideas

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

From this reading But our ideas were no novelty to her, as we soon discovered.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

Miss

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

From this reading She read with avidity religious biographies furnished by Miss Blomfield.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

nine

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

From this reading In truth, at nine years old, she was a bit of an enthusiast.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading But our ideas were no novelty to her, as we soon discovered.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

novelty

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

From this reading But our ideas were no novelty to her, as we soon discovered.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In truth, at nine years old, she was a bit of an enthusiast.

old

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

From this reading In truth, at nine years old, she was a bit of an enthusiast.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading But our ideas were no novelty to her, as we soon discovered.

Polly

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

prepared

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

proved

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

quitenounUS /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

read

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

From this reading She read with avidity religious biographies furnished by Miss Blomfield.

religious

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

From this reading She read with avidity religious biographies furnished by Miss Blomfield.

resolute

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

From this reading She was delicate in health, but reticent and resolute in character.

reticent

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

From this reading She was delicate in health, but reticent and resolute in character.

schemes

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

SICK

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

soon

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

From this reading But our ideas were no novelty to her, as we soon discovered.

strong

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

truth

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

From this reading In truth, at nine years old, she was a bit of an enthusiast.

VISITING

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading In truth, at nine years old, she was a bit of an enthusiast.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading But our ideas were no novelty to her, as we soon discovered.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading But our ideas were no novelty to her, as we soon discovered.

willing

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

From this reading VISITING THE SICK I had been quite prepared to find Polly a willing convert to my charitable schemes, but I had not expected to find in Cousin Helen so strong an ally as she proved.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading She read with avidity religious biographies furnished by Miss Blomfield.

years

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

From this reading In truth, at nine years old, she was a bit of an enthusiast.