Chapter 5 of Frenzied Fiction is here in full — 390 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter V
Chapter 5 of Frenzied Fiction is here in full — 390 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“The which?” we asked modestly. “The Elizabethan era?” We were silent. “Or the pre-Shakespearean tragedy?” We hung our head.
Chapter 5 of Frenzied Fiction is here in full — 390 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/78 · 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.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading ““The which?” we asked modestly.”
a person who lived during the reign of Elizabeth I
From this reading ““The Elizabethan era?””
a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event
From this reading ““The Elizabethan era?””
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading “We hung our head.”
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading “We hung our head.”
with modesty; in a modest manner
From this reading ““The which?” we asked modestly.”
marked by absence of sound
From this reading “We were silent.”
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading ““Or the pre-Shakespearean tragedy?””
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.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “The which?” we asked modestly.
a person who lived during the reign of Elizabeth I
From this reading “The Elizabethan era?”
a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event
From this reading “The Elizabethan era?”
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading We hung our head.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading We hung our head.
with modesty; in a modest manner
From this reading “The which?” we asked modestly.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading “Or the pre-Shakespearean tragedy?”
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading We hung our head.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Or the pre-Shakespearean tragedy?”
marked by absence of sound
From this reading We were silent.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “The which?” we asked modestly.
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading “Or the pre-Shakespearean tragedy?”
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “The which?” we asked modestly.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We were silent.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “The which?” we asked modestly.
Chapter 5 of Frenzied Fiction by Stephen Leacock holds 390 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 5 holds 390 sentences of Frenzied Fiction, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 5 of Frenzied Fiction by Stephen Leacock exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 390 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 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.
Common questions about reading Frenzied Fiction by Stephen Leacock on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3767 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8457 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #8457, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 313 minutes of reading across 754 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Frenzied Fiction section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 9 chapters of Frenzied Fiction 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 Frenzied Fiction, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
