Chapter 4 of Faulkner's Folly is here in full — 428 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Faulkner's Folly is here in full — 428 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"And that could have been you--as well as Mrs. Stannard! You were both discovered in practically the same circumstances!" "You're trying to trip me, Mr. Roberts. But you can't do it. Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
Chapter 4 of Faulkner's Folly is here in full — 428 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/85 · 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.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading “You were both discovered in practically the same circumstances!"”
an assertion of a right (as to money or property)
From this reading “Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"”
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading “You were both discovered in practically the same circumstances!"”
plural of “emerald” — a green transparent form of beryl; highly valued as a gemstone
From this reading “Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"”
almost; nearly
From this reading “You were both discovered in practically the same circumstances!"”
United States biochemist (born in England) honored for his discovery that some genes contain introns (born in 1943)
From this reading “"You're trying to trip me, Mr. Roberts.”
a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
From this reading “"You're trying to trip me, Mr. Roberts.”
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading “Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"”
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.
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 to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "And that could have been you--as well as Mrs. Stannard!
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "And that could have been you--as well as Mrs. Stannard!
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "And that could have been you--as well as Mrs. Stannard!
the two together, not just one
From this reading You were both discovered in practically the same circumstances!"
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But you can't do it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But you can't do it.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading You were both discovered in practically the same circumstances!"
an assertion of a right (as to money or property)
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "And that could have been you--as well as Mrs. Stannard!
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading You were both discovered in practically the same circumstances!"
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading But you can't do it.
plural of “emerald” — a green transparent form of beryl; highly valued as a gemstone
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "And that could have been you--as well as Mrs. Stannard!
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading You were both discovered in practically the same circumstances!"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But you can't do it.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "You're trying to trip me, Mr. Roberts.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
a form of address for a man
From this reading "You're trying to trip me, Mr. Roberts.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading "And that could have been you--as well as Mrs. Stannard!
a brief written record
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
almost; nearly
From this reading You were both discovered in practically the same circumstances!"
United States biochemist (born in England) honored for his discovery that some genes contain introns (born in 1943)
From this reading "You're trying to trip me, Mr. Roberts.
Identical; not different.
From this reading You were both discovered in practically the same circumstances!"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And that could have been you--as well as Mrs. Stannard!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "And that could have been you--as well as Mrs. Stannard!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading You were both discovered in practically the same circumstances!"
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "You're trying to trip me, Mr. Roberts.
a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
From this reading "You're trying to trip me, Mr. Roberts.
hard to endure
From this reading "You're trying to trip me, Mr. Roberts.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "And that could have been you--as well as Mrs. Stannard!
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading You were both discovered in practically the same circumstances!"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading Now, look here, if that note had been written to me, wouldn't it mean that these emeralds were mine, and wouldn't I claim them?"
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "And that could have been you--as well as Mrs. Stannard!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You're trying to trip me, Mr. Roberts.
Chapter 4 of Faulkner's Folly by Carolyn Wells holds 428 sentences, grouped into 86 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 428 sentences of Faulkner's Folly, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Faulkner's Folly by Carolyn Wells exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 428 sentences, grouped into 86 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 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 86 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 Faulkner's Folly by Carolyn Wells on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4741 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #59126 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #59126, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 395 minutes of reading across 949 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Faulkner's Folly section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 11 chapters of Faulkner's Folly 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 Faulkner's Folly, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
