Chapter 4 of Indian Summer is here in full — 410 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Indian Summer is here in full — 410 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"No, I don't know that I do. But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding." "I wish you would prove it to mine. It sounds so pretty, I'm sure it must be true." "Oh, then, it isn't necessary.
Chapter 4 of Indian Summer is here in full — 410 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 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.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading “But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."”
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “"I wish you would prove it to mine.”
absolutely essential
From this reading “"Oh, then, it isn't necessary.”
be shown or be found to be
From this reading “"I wish you would prove it to mine.”
-ing form of “prove” — be shown or be found to be
From this reading “But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."”
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading “It sounds so pretty, I'm sure it must be true."”
of or relating to the sympathetic nervous system
From this reading “But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."”
the cognitive condition of someone who understands
From this reading “But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."”
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 with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It sounds so pretty, I'm sure it must be true."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "No, I don't know that I do.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No, I don't know that I do.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "No, I don't know that I do.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It sounds so pretty, I'm sure it must be true."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Oh, then, it isn't necessary.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "No, I don't know that I do.
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "I wish you would prove it to mine.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading It sounds so pretty, I'm sure it must be true."
absolutely essential
From this reading "Oh, then, it isn't necessary.
not any; not one
From this reading "No, I don't know that I do.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, then, it isn't necessary.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading It sounds so pretty, I'm sure it must be true."
be shown or be found to be
From this reading "I wish you would prove it to mine.
-ing form of “prove” — be shown or be found to be
From this reading But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It sounds so pretty, I'm sure it must be true."
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading It sounds so pretty, I'm sure it must be true."
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading It sounds so pretty, I'm sure it must be true."
of or relating to the sympathetic nervous system
From this reading But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "No, I don't know that I do.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "Oh, then, it isn't necessary.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading It sounds so pretty, I'm sure it must be true."
the cognitive condition of someone who understands
From this reading But I shouldn't have much difficulty in proving it, I think, to the sympathetic understanding."
hope for; have a wish
From this reading "I wish you would prove it to mine.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "I wish you would prove it to mine.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I wish you would prove it to mine.
Chapter 4 of Indian Summer by William Dean Howells holds 410 sentences, grouped into 82 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 410 sentences of Indian Summer, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Indian Summer by William Dean Howells exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 410 sentences, grouped into 82 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 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 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 Indian Summer by William Dean Howells on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6078 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #7359 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #7359, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 506 minutes of reading across 1216 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Indian Summer section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 15 chapters of Indian Summer 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 Indian Summer, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
