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Divots
Divots

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of Divots is here in full — 447 sentences across 90 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Divots
Context Illustration Reading 1/89 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”
He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.
He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.
“Merely a pastime,” said the young man.
The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.
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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.

Divots

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of Divots is here in full — 447 sentences across 90 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/89 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”
/ðə ˈmædʒɪk plʌs fɔːrz ˈæftər ɔːl sed ðə jʌŋ mæn ɡɑːlf ɪz ˈoʊnli ə ɡeɪm/
Line 2
He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.
/hiː spoʊk ˈbɪtərli ənd wɪð ðə er ʌv wʌn huː hæz bɪn ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ ə treɪn ʌv θɔːt/
Line 3
He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.
Line 4
“Merely a pastime,” said the young man.
/ˈmɪrli ə ˈpæstaɪm sed ðə jʌŋ mæn/
Line 5
The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

Learner Dictionary

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.

fours noun US /fɔːrz/

plural of “four” — the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading “THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
golf noun US /ɡɑːlf/

a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18 holes; the object is use as few strokes as possible in playing all the holes

From this reading “THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
moody noun US /ˈmuːdi/

United States tennis player who dominated women's tennis in the 1920s and 1930s (1905-1998)

From this reading “He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Oldest adjective US /ˈoʊldəst/

superlative of “old” — (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading “The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pastime noun US /ˈpæstaɪm/

a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly)

From this reading ““Merely a pastime,” said the young man.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
plus noun US /plʌs/

a useful or valuable quality

From this reading “THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stiffened verb US /ˈstɪfənd/

past form of “stiffen” — become stiff or stiffer

From this reading “The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
waiters noun US /ˈweɪtərz/

plural of “waiter” — a person whose occupation is to serve at table (as in a restaurant)

From this reading “The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

young man adjective + noun

a teenager or a young adult male

In this reading “THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.””

130,774 times in 426,211 chapters
low spirits adjective + noun

a state of mild depression

In this reading “He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.”

836 times in 426,211 chapters
glanced quickly verb + particle counted as “glance quickly”

In this reading “The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.”

1,117 times in 426,211 chapters
make sure verb + adjective

make a point of doing something; act purposefully and intentionally

In this reading “The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.”

11,811 times in 426,211 chapters
some minutes adjective + noun

In this reading “He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.”

7,690 times in 426,211 chapters
come into verb + particle

obtain, especially accidentally

In this reading “He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.”

66,662 times in 426,211 chapters
with horror preposition + noun

In this reading “The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.”

6,637 times in 426,211 chapters
with the air preposition + article + noun counted as “with … air”

In this reading “He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.”

21,576 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 73

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(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 THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
arm-chair

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

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

Pending verification
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bitterlyadverbUS /ˈbɪtərli/

with bitterness; in a resentful manner

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
club-house

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

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

Pending verification
comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
duskyadjective

lighted by or as if by twilight

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
FOURSnounUS /fɔːrz/

plural of “four” — the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gamenounUS /ɡeɪm/

a contest with rules to determine a winner

From this reading THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
glancedverbUS /ɡlænst/

past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
golfnounUS /ɡɑːlf/

a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18 holes; the object is use as few strokes as possible in playing all the holes

From this reading THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
horrornounUS /ˈhɔːrər/

intense and profound fear

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
logverbUS /lɔːɡ/

enter into a log, as on ships and planes

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MAGICnounUS /ˈmædʒɪk/

any art that invokes supernatural powers

From this reading THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MembernounUS /ˈmembər/

one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MerelyadverbUS /ˈmɪrli/

and nothing more

From this reading “Merely a pastime,” said the young man.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
minutesnounUS /ˈmɪnəts/

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
moodynounUS /ˈmuːdi/

United States tennis player who dominated women's tennis in the 1920s and 1930s (1905-1998)

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
noddingadjectiveUS /ˈnɑːdɪŋ/

having branches or flower heads that bend downward

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nonepronounUS /nʌn/

not one, and not any

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
NovembernounUS /noʊˈvembər/

the month following October and preceding December

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OldestadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldəst/

superlative of “old” — (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
pastimenounUS /ˈpæstaɪm/

a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly)

From this reading “Merely a pastime,” said the young man.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PLUSnounUS /plʌs/

a useful or valuable quality

From this reading THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/

with speed

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shoulderverbUS /ˈʃoʊldər/

lift onto one's shoulders

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
silentadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪlənt/

marked by absence of sound

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
smoking-room

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

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

Pending verification
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spiritsnounUS /ˈspɪrɪts/

an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spokenounUS /spoʊk/

support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
staringadjectiveUS /ˈsterɪŋ/

(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder

From this reading He had come into the smoking-room of the club-house in low spirits at the dusky close of a November evening, and for some minutes had been sitting, silent and moody, staring at the log fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stiffenedverbUS /ˈstɪfənd/

past form of “stiffen” — become stiff or stiffer

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
terribleadjectiveUS /ˈterəbəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
trainverbUS /treɪn/

create by training and teaching

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
waitersnounUS /ˈweɪtərz/

plural of “waiter” — a person whose occupation is to serve at table (as in a restaurant)

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He spoke bitterly and with the air of one who has been following a train of thought.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading The Oldest Member, nodding in his arm-chair, stiffened with horror, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure that none of the waiters had heard these terrible words.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading THE MAGIC PLUS FOURS “After all,” said the young man, “golf is only a game.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 5 of Divots by P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse holds 447 sentences, grouped into 90 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.

What does chapter 5 of Divots contain?

Chapter 5 holds 447 sentences of Divots, unabridged, divided into 90 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Divots by P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 447 sentences, grouped into 90 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.

How do I study chapter 5 of Divots?

Work through the 90 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 90 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.

Can chapter 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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.

Questions about reading Divots

Common questions about reading Divots by P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Divots?

Yes. All 5056 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #72227 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Divots is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #72227, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Divots take to read?

About 421 minutes of reading across 1012 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Divots section by section

How to work through Divots section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 9 chapters of Divots to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Divots

Words and structures a reader meets early in Divots, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Preface
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Divots; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Leading
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Divots; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Reader
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Divots; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Little
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Divots; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.