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Penny Plain
Penny Plain

Chapter XXI

Cover illustration for Penny Plain
Context Illustration Reading 1/75 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."
_As You Like It_.
The lot of the conscientious philanthropist is not an easy one.
The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.
To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.
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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.

Penny Plain

Chapter XXI

Reading 1/75 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."
Line 2
_As You Like It_.
Line 3
The lot of the conscientious philanthropist is not an easy one.
Line 4
The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.
Line 5
To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.”

Anything pronoun US /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading “"For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."”

Disappointment noun US /ˈdisappointment/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.”

Duty noun US /ˈduːti/

a responsibility that must be carried out

From this reading “"For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “The lot of the conscientious philanthropist is not an easy one.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.”

Thing noun US /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.”

All words in this reading · 64

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

amiss

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

From this reading "For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading The lot of the conscientious philanthropist is not an easy one.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading "For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading _As You Like It_.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading "For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."

benefits

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

bright

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

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading "For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."

careless

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

conscientious

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

From this reading The lot of the conscientious philanthropist is not an easy one.

dark

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

difficult

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

disappointmentnounUS /ˈdisappointment/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

dutynounUS /ˈduːti/

a responsibility that must be carried out

From this reading "For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."

earnest

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

easy

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

From this reading The lot of the conscientious philanthropist is not an easy one.

effect

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

fellows

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

innocence

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

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading The lot of the conscientious philanthropist is not an easy one.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."

Jean

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

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

kind

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

Like

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

From this reading _As You Like It_.

lives

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

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

lot

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

From this reading The lot of the conscientious philanthropist is not an easy one.

lover

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

money

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

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

necessary

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

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

neighbours

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

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The lot of the conscientious philanthropist is not an easy one.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The lot of the conscientious philanthropist is not an easy one.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The lot of the conscientious philanthropist is not an easy one.

path

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

philanthropist

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

From this reading The lot of the conscientious philanthropist is not an easy one.

poorer

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

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

recipients

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

rich

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

simpleness

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

From this reading "For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."

strew

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

tender

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

From this reading "For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The lot of the conscientious philanthropist is not an easy one.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

thingnounUS /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

thorny

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

unthinking

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

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading To Jean in her innocence it had seemed that money was the one thing necessary to make bright the lives of her poorer neighbours.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading "For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it."

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The kind but unthinking rich can strew their benefits about, careless of their effect on the recipients, but the path of the earnest lover of his fellows is thorny and difficult, and dark with disappointment.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading _As You Like It_.