Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Ways of Life: Two Stories
The Ways of Life: Two Stories

Chapter VII

Cover illustration for The Ways of Life: Two Stories
Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.
The great events of life rarely happen according to our will.
A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.
The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.
We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Ways of Life: Two Stories

Chapter VII

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.
Line 2
The great events of life rarely happen according to our will.
Line 3
A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.
Line 4
The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.
Line 5
We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.

Learner Dictionary

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

Argument noun US /ˈɑːrɡjəmənt/

a reason or example used to support an idea

From this reading “A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.”

Every determiner US /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The great events of life rarely happen according to our will.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading ““Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The great events of life rarely happen according to our will.”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading ““Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading ““Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.”

Something pronoun US /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading ““Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.”

Sometimes noun US /sometimes/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.”

Though conjunction US /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.”

Unless conjunction US /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading ““Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.”

All words in this reading · 82

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 A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

according

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

From this reading The great events of life rarely happen according to our will.

advantages

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

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

all

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

appropriateness

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

argumentnounUS /ˈɑːrɡjəmənt/

a reason or example used to support an idea

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

better

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

From this reading We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

calls

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

From this reading We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.

cannot

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

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

character

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

circumstance

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

From this reading We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.

conclusion

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

destructive

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

die

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

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

dignity

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

disclosure

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.

dreary

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

drivels

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

event

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

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

events

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

From this reading The great events of life rarely happen according to our will.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

existence

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

favour

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

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

force

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

God

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

grace

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The great events of life rarely happen according to our will.

happen

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

kept

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The great events of life rarely happen according to our will.

live

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

From this reading We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.

made

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

man

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

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

moment

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

most

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

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

much

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

From this reading We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading The great events of life rarely happen according to our will.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

palpable

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

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

passes

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

postscript

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

rarely

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

From this reading The great events of life rarely happen according to our will.

reflected

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

satisfactory

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

saying

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

seaside

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

season

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

sometimes

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

From this reading We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

there

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

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

tragedy

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

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.

UnlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We live when we should do much better to die, and we die sometimes when every circumstance calls upon us to live.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading “Unless, by the grace of God, something should happen”--that was what he kept saying to himself when he reflected on the disclosure which must be made when the seaside season was over.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading The great events of life rarely happen according to our will.

wishes

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

From this reading A man cannot die when he wishes it, though there should be every argument in favour of such an event, and its advantages most palpable.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading The moment passes in which that conclusion would have all the force and satisfactory character of a great tragedy, and a dreary postscript of existence drivels on, destructive of all dignity and appropriateness.