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Hard Times
Hard Times

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Hard Times is here in full — 438 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Hard Times
Context Illustration Reading 1/87 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE KEYNOTE
COKETOWN, to which Messrs.
Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.
Let us strike the key-note, Coketown, before pursuing our tune.
It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.
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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.

Hard Times

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Hard Times is here in full — 438 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/87 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE KEYNOTE
Line 2
COKETOWN, to which Messrs.
Line 3
Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.
Line 4
Let us strike the key-note, Coketown, before pursuing our tune.
Line 5
It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

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.

Ashes noun US /ˈæʃ.ɪz/

The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.

From this reading “It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.”

Stood verb US /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading “It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.”

All words in this reading · 56

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.

a

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

allowed

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

and

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

as

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

ashesnounUS /ˈæʃ.ɪz/

The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

been

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

before

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

From this reading Let us strike the key-note, Coketown, before pursuing our tune.

black

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

Bounderby

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

brick

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

but

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

COKETOWN

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

From this reading COKETOWN, to which Messrs.

face

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

fact

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

fancy

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

Gradgrind

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

greater

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

had

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

have

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

herself

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

if

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

in

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

it

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

key-note

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

From this reading Let us strike the key-note, Coketown, before pursuing our tune.

KEYNOTE

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

From this reading THE KEYNOTE

Let

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

From this reading Let us strike the key-note, Coketown, before pursuing our tune.

like

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

matters

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

Messrs

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

From this reading COKETOWN, to which Messrs.

Mrs

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

no

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

now

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

of

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

or

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

our

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

From this reading Let us strike the key-note, Coketown, before pursuing our tune.

painted

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

pursuing

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

From this reading Let us strike the key-note, Coketown, before pursuing our tune.

red

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

savage

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

smoke

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

strike

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

From this reading Let us strike the key-note, Coketown, before pursuing our tune.

taint

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

than

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

that

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

THE

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

From this reading THE KEYNOTE

to

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

From this reading COKETOWN, to which Messrs.

town

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

triumph

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

tune

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

From this reading Let us strike the key-note, Coketown, before pursuing our tune.

unnatural

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

us

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

From this reading Let us strike the key-note, Coketown, before pursuing our tune.

walked

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

was

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

From this reading Bounderby and Gradgrind now walked, was a triumph of fact; it had no greater taint of fancy in it than Mrs. Gradgrind herself.

which

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

From this reading COKETOWN, to which Messrs.

would

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

From this reading It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage.

Chapter 4 of Hard Times by Charles Dickens holds 438 sentences, grouped into 88 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 4 of Hard Times contain?

Chapter 4 holds 438 sentences of Hard Times, unabridged, divided into 88 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Hard Times by Charles Dickens exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 438 sentences, grouped into 88 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 4 of Hard Times?

Work through the 88 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 88 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 4 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading Hard Times

Common questions about reading Hard Times by Charles Dickens on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Hard Times?

Yes. All 6128 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #786 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Hard Times is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #786, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Hard Times take to read?

About 510 minutes of reading across 1226 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Hard Times section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of Hard Times 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 Hard Times

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

Philosophical
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Hard Times; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Final
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Hard Times; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Illustrations
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Hard Times; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stephen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Hard Times; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.