Chapter 4 of Confessions of a Neurasthenic is here in full — 43 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Confessions of a Neurasthenic is here in full — 43 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
AS A SHIFTLESS AND PURPOSELESS YOUTH. Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me. In fact they grew stronger and faster than I did. My moods and whims were subject to many changes, however. Something new and absurd entered my mind every day.
Chapter 4 of Confessions of a Neurasthenic is here in full — 43 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/8 · 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.
plural of “change” — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
From this reading “My moods and whims were subject to many changes, however.”
inflected form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading “Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.”
more quickly
From this reading “In fact they grew stronger and faster than I did.”
plural of “habit” — an established custom
From this reading “Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.”
plural of “mood” — a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading “My moods and whims were subject to many changes, however.”
not evidencing any purpose or goal
From this reading “AS A SHIFTLESS AND PURPOSELESS YOUTH.”
lacking or characterized by lack of ambition or initiative; lazy
From this reading “AS A SHIFTLESS AND PURPOSELESS YOUTH.”
plural of “whim” — a sudden desire
From this reading “My moods and whims were subject to many changes, however.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “In fact they grew stronger and faster than I did.”
in reality or actuality
In this reading “In fact they grew stronger and faster than I did.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading AS A SHIFTLESS AND PURPOSELESS YOUTH.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense
From this reading Something new and absurd entered my mind every day.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AS A SHIFTLESS AND PURPOSELESS YOUTH.
used to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous statement
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading AS A SHIFTLESS AND PURPOSELESS YOUTH.
plural of “change” — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
From this reading My moods and whims were subject to many changes, however.
inflected form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Something new and absurd entered my mind every day.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading In fact they grew stronger and faster than I did.
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading Something new and absurd entered my mind every day.
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Something new and absurd entered my mind every day.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading In fact they grew stronger and faster than I did.
more quickly
From this reading In fact they grew stronger and faster than I did.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading In fact they grew stronger and faster than I did.
plural of “habit” — an established custom
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading My moods and whims were subject to many changes, however.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading In fact they grew stronger and faster than I did.
not in action or at work
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In fact they grew stronger and faster than I did.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading My moods and whims were subject to many changes, however.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Something new and absurd entered my mind every day.
plural of “mood” — a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading My moods and whims were subject to many changes, however.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Something new and absurd entered my mind every day.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
not evidencing any purpose or goal
From this reading AS A SHIFTLESS AND PURPOSELESS YOUTH.
lacking or characterized by lack of ambition or initiative; lazy
From this reading AS A SHIFTLESS AND PURPOSELESS YOUTH.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Something new and absurd entered my mind every day.
not in physical motion
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
comparative of “strong” — having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading In fact they grew stronger and faster than I did.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading My moods and whims were subject to many changes, however.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading In fact they grew stronger and faster than I did.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In fact they grew stronger and faster than I did.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Time passed on--that's about all time does anyway--and my idle habits still clung to me.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading My moods and whims were subject to many changes, however.
plural of “whim” — a sudden desire
From this reading My moods and whims were subject to many changes, however.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading AS A SHIFTLESS AND PURPOSELESS YOUTH.
Chapter 4 of Confessions of a Neurasthenic by William Taylor Marrs holds 43 sentences, grouped into 9 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 4 holds 43 sentences of Confessions of a Neurasthenic, unabridged, divided into 9 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Confessions of a Neurasthenic by William Taylor Marrs exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 43 sentences, grouped into 9 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 9 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 9 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 4 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 Confessions of a Neurasthenic by William Taylor Marrs on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1023 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #30487 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #30487, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 85 minutes of reading across 205 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Confessions of a Neurasthenic section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 19 chapters of Confessions of a Neurasthenic 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 Confessions of a Neurasthenic, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
