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If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities
If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities
Context Illustration Reading 1/82 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.
The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.
Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.
I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.
But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.
/ɪt ɪz ˈðerfɔːr wɪˈðɪn ðə ˈkʌmpəs ʌv ɔːl ˌɪnˈtelədʒənt ˈbiːɪŋz ɪkˈsept ðoʊz huː ɑːr noʊ ˈlɔːŋɡər ˈkɑːnʃəs ʌv ðə ˈpæsədʒ ʌv taɪm ˈhævɪŋ ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒd ɪts ˌlɪmɪˈteɪʃənz fɔːr ðə ˈwaɪdər swiːp ʌv ɪˈtɜːrnəti/
Line 2
The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.
Line 3
Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.
/moʊst ɑːrˈtɪkjəleɪt ˈlæŋɡwədʒ ˈæˈdresɪz ˌɪtˈself tuː wʌn sens ɔːr æt moʊst tuː tuː saɪt ənd saʊnd/
Line 4
I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.
/aɪ siː æz aɪ raɪt ðæt ðə pərˈtɪkjələr ˌɪləˈstreɪʃənz aɪ hæv ˈɡɪvən ɑːr ɔːl ʌv ðem kənˈfaɪnd tuː ˈsɪɡnəlz siːn ɔːr ˈsɪɡnəlz hɜːrd/
Line 5
But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

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.

addresses noun US /ˈæˈdresɪz/

plural of “address” — (computer science) the code that identifies where a piece of information is stored

From this reading “Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.”

alphabet noun US /ˈælfəbet/

a character set that includes letters and is used to write a language

From this reading “The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.”

articulate verb US /ɑːrˈtɪkjəleɪt/

provide with a joint

From this reading “Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.”

disclosed adjective US /dɪˈskloʊzd/

made known (especially something secret or concealed)

From this reading “The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.”

intelligible adjective US /ˌɪnˈtelədʒəbəl/

capable of being apprehended or understood

From this reading “But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.”

limitations noun US /ˌlɪmɪˈteɪʃənz/

plural of “limitation” — a principle that limits the extent of something

From this reading “It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.”

restricted adjective US /riˈstrɪktəd/

subject to restriction or subjected to restriction

From this reading “But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.”

signals noun US /ˈsɪɡnəlz/

plural of “signal” — any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message

From this reading “I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.”

All words in this reading · 80

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.

addressesnounUS /ˈæˈdresɪz/

plural of “address” — (computer science) the code that identifies where a piece of information is stored

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

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 It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

alphabetnounUS /ˈælfəbet/

a character set that includes letters and is used to write a language

From this reading The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

articulateverbUS /ɑːrˈtɪkjəleɪt/

provide with a joint

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.

beingsnounUS /ˈbiːɪŋz/

plural of “being” — the state or fact of existing

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

compassnounUS /ˈkʌmpəs/

navigational instrument for finding directions

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

confinedadjectiveUS /kənˈfaɪnd/

not invading healthy tissue

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

consciousadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnʃəs/

intentionally conceived

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

disclosedadjectiveUS /dɪˈskloʊzd/

made known (especially something secret or concealed)

From this reading The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.

dot-and-line

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

From this reading But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

eternitynounUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəti/

time without end

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

exchangedadjectiveUS /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒd/

changed for (replaced by) something different

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

illimitableadjective

without limits in extent or size or quantity

From this reading The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.

illustrationsnounUS /ˌɪləˈstreɪʃənz/

plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

intelligentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtelədʒənt/

having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

intelligibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtelədʒəbəl/

capable of being apprehended or understood

From this reading But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

languagenounUS /ˈlæŋɡwədʒ/

a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

limitationsnounUS /ˌlɪmɪˈteɪʃənz/

plural of “limitation” — a principle that limits the extent of something

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/

for more time

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

makesnounUS /meɪks/

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

MostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

particularadjectiveUS /pərˈtɪkjələr/

unique or specific to a person or thing or category

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

passagenounUS /ˈpæsədʒ/

the act of passing from one state or place to the next

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

rangenounUS /reɪndʒ/

an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"

From this reading The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.

restrictedadjectiveUS /riˈstrɪktəd/

subject to restriction or subjected to restriction

From this reading But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

sensesnounUS /ˈsensɪz/

plural of “sens” — street names for marijuana

From this reading But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

shownverbUS /ʃoʊn/

inflected form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

sightnounUS /saɪt/

an instance of visual perception

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

signalsnounUS /ˈsɪɡnəlz/

plural of “signal” — any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

sweepverbUS /swiːp/

sweep across or over

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Most articulate language addresses itself to one sense, or at most to two, sight and sound.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading The illimitable range of this alphabet, however, is not half disclosed when this has been said.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

wideradjectiveUS /ˈwaɪdər/

comparative of “wide” — having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading It is therefore within the compass of all intelligent beings, except those who are no longer conscious of the passage of time, having exchanged its limitations for the wider sweep of eternity.

writeverbUS /raɪt/

produce a literary work

From this reading I see, as I write, that the particular illustrations I have given are all of them confined to signals seen or signals heard.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading But the dot-and-line alphabet, in the few years of its history, has already shown that it is not restricted to these two senses, but makes itself intelligible to all.

Chapter 5 of If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities by Edward Everett Hale holds 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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 If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities contain?

Chapter 5 holds 412 sentences of If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities by Edward Everett Hale exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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 If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities?

Work through the 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 83 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 If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities

Common questions about reading If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities by Edward Everett Hale on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities?

Yes. All 3702 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28379 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #28379, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities take to read?

About 308 minutes of reading across 741 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities section by section

How to work through If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities

Words and structures a reader meets early in If, Yes and Perhaps Four Possibilities, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

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Pages
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Available
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