Chapter 2 of A Man of Means is here in full — 387 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of A Man of Means is here in full — 387 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile. “Not so fast, young man,” laughed Mr. Windlebird. “Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think. Shall we say that you propose to invest thirty thousand pounds? Yes?
Chapter 2 of A Man of Means is here in full — 387 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/77 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
characterized by or given to yielding to the wishes of someone
From this reading “The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.”
make an investment
From this reading “Shall we say that you propose to invest thirty thousand pounds?”
past form of “lighten” — make more cheerful
From this reading “The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.”
of or relating to or like Napoleon Bonaparte
From this reading “The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.”
make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading “Shall we say that you propose to invest thirty thousand pounds?”
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading “The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.”
plural of “reef” — a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
From this reading ““Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.”
an exploratory oil well drilled in land not known to be an oil field
From this reading ““Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading “Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading “Not so fast, young man,” laughed Mr. Windlebird.
plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading “Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.
characterized by or given to yielding to the wishes of someone
From this reading The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading “Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.
make an investment
From this reading Shall we say that you propose to invest thirty thousand pounds?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading “Not so fast, young man,” laughed Mr. Windlebird.
past form of “lighten” — make more cheerful
From this reading The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “Not so fast, young man,” laughed Mr. Windlebird.
a form of address for a man
From this reading “Not so fast, young man,” laughed Mr. Windlebird.
of or relating to or like Napoleon Bonaparte
From this reading The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Not so fast, young man,” laughed Mr. Windlebird.
plural of “pound” — 16 ounces avoirdupois
From this reading Shall we say that you propose to invest thirty thousand pounds?
make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading Shall we say that you propose to invest thirty thousand pounds?
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading “Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.
plural of “reef” — a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
From this reading “Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.
express in words
From this reading Shall we say that you propose to invest thirty thousand pounds?
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading “Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading Shall we say that you propose to invest thirty thousand pounds?
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “Not so fast, young man,” laughed Mr. Windlebird.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading “Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading Shall we say that you propose to invest thirty thousand pounds?
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading Shall we say that you propose to invest thirty thousand pounds?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Shall we say that you propose to invest thirty thousand pounds?
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.
an exploratory oil well drilled in land not known to be an oil field
From this reading “Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Not so fast, young man,” laughed Mr. Windlebird.
an affirmative
From this reading Yes?
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't quite so easy as you seem to think.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading “Not so fast, young man,” laughed Mr. Windlebird.
Chapter 2 of A Man of Means by P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse holds 387 sentences, grouped into 78 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 2 holds 387 sentences of A Man of Means, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of A Man of Means by P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 387 sentences, grouped into 78 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 78 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 78 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading A Man of Means by P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2018 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8713 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #8713, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 168 minutes of reading across 404 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through A Man of Means section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 5 chapters of A Man of Means to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in A Man of Means, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
