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First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth
First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth

Chapter XI

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Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.
She was not consciously insular.
On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.
And France responded, on occasion, with _empressement_.
The glance of your average Frenchman, not necessarily discourteous, is nevertheless always and embarrassingly instructive.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth

Chapter XI

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.
Line 2
She was not consciously insular.
Line 3
On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.
Line 4
And France responded, on occasion, with _empressement_.
Line 5
The glance of your average Frenchman, not necessarily discourteous, is nevertheless always and embarrassingly instructive.

Learner Dictionary

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

Again noun US /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.”

Beyond preposition US /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading “She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.”

Nevertheless adverb US /ˌnevərðəˈles/

in spite of what has just been said

From this reading “The glance of your average Frenchman, not necessarily discourteous, is nevertheless always and embarrassingly instructive.”

Order noun US /order/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.”

Themselves pronoun US /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading “She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.”

All words in this reading · 77

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 She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

abroad

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

againnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

always

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

From this reading The glance of your average Frenchman, not necessarily discourteous, is nevertheless always and embarrassingly instructive.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

average

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

From this reading The glance of your average Frenchman, not necessarily discourteous, is nevertheless always and embarrassingly instructive.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

busy

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

call

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

carriage

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

consciously

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

From this reading She was not consciously insular.

contrary

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

deceptively

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

discourteous

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

From this reading The glance of your average Frenchman, not necessarily discourteous, is nevertheless always and embarrassingly instructive.

discovered

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

embarrassingly

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

From this reading The glance of your average Frenchman, not necessarily discourteous, is nevertheless always and embarrassingly instructive.

empressement

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

From this reading And France responded, on occasion, with _empressement_.

England

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

enthusiastic

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

existence

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

fascinated

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

France

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

From this reading And France responded, on occasion, with _empressement_.

Frenchman

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

From this reading The glance of your average Frenchman, not necessarily discourteous, is nevertheless always and embarrassingly instructive.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

glance

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

From this reading The glance of your average Frenchman, not necessarily discourteous, is nevertheless always and embarrassingly instructive.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

inaccurately

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

instructive

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

From this reading The glance of your average Frenchman, not necessarily discourteous, is nevertheless always and embarrassingly instructive.

insular

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

From this reading She was not consciously insular.

interest

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

island

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

land

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

like

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

necessarily

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

From this reading The glance of your average Frenchman, not necessarily discourteous, is nevertheless always and embarrassingly instructive.

neverthelessadverbUS /ˌnevərðəˈles/

in spite of what has just been said

From this reading The glance of your average Frenchman, not necessarily discourteous, is nevertheless always and embarrassingly instructive.

new

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She was not consciously insular.

occasion

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

From this reading And France responded, on occasion, with _empressement_.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

ordernounUS /order/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

out

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

pension

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

people

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

phantasmagoric

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

play

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

quick-tongued

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

railway

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

real

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

responded

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

From this reading And France responded, on occasion, with _empressement_.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

sight-seeing

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

sixteen

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

studio

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

superficially

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

there

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

unconvincing

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

vivid

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

walks

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

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

waters

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

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading On the contrary, from her railway carriage and her _pension_, her sight-seeing, her studio and her walks abroad, she looked out upon the new order of existence with fascinated and enthusiastic interest.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading She was sixteen when she discovered (inaccurately) that England is an island, that beyond its waters again there is what, superficially if deceptively, you call land, and what you call people, busy, vivid, quick-tongued, real to themselves, yet to you unconvincing, phantasmagoric, like the land and people of a play.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading The glance of your average Frenchman, not necessarily discourteous, is nevertheless always and embarrassingly instructive.