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Great Englishwomen
Great Englishwomen

Chapter III

Cover illustration for Great Englishwomen
Context Illustration Reading 1/104 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.
At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.
She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.
The idleness, ignorance, and dirt of these women shocked her.
How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Great Englishwomen

Chapter III

Reading 1/104 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.
Line 2
At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.
Line 3
She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.
Line 4
The idleness, ignorance, and dirt of these women shocked her.
Line 5
How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

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 “At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.”

Alone noun US /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.”

Around preposition US /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading “Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.”

Herself pronoun US /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading “At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.”

Last noun US /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.”

Let auxiliary verb US /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading “She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?”

Poor noun US /poor/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading “The idleness, ignorance, and dirt of these women shocked her.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?”

All words in this reading · 78

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 got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

able

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

againnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.

air

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

alonenounUS /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

any

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.

authorities

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

begged

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

children

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

convicts

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

dirt

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

From this reading The idleness, ignorance, and dirt of these women shocked her.

Elizabeth

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

enter

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

especially

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

few

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

food

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

fresh

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

Fry

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

got

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

grow

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

heart

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

From this reading At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.

hours

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

How

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

idleness

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

From this reading The idleness, ignorance, and dirt of these women shocked her.

ignorance

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

From this reading The idleness, ignorance, and dirt of these women shocked her.

ill

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

improve

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

From this reading At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

lastnounUS /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

making

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

mats

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

more

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

out

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

pining

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

poornounUS /poor/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

prison

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

prisons

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

From this reading At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.

set

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

From this reading At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.

shocked

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

From this reading The idleness, ignorance, and dirt of these women shocked her.

sleep

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

Sorrow

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

sufferings

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

sympathetic

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading The idleness, ignorance, and dirt of these women shocked her.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

turned

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

up

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Sorrow was making Elizabeth Fry more and more sympathetic and able to enter into the sufferings of those around her.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

whole

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

From this reading At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.

women

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

From this reading She got the prison authorities to let the poor women have mats to sleep on, especially those who were ill, and she begged to be alone with the convicts for a few hours.

work

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

From this reading At last she was able to work again, and with her whole heart she set herself to improve the prisons.

world

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

From this reading How could the poor little children, pining for food and fresh air, ever grow up to be good women in the world, into which they might be turned out any time?