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Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography
Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography is here in full — 91 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography
Context Illustration Reading 1/18 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Did Francis Bacon write Shakespeare's Works?
Nobody knows.
We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.
_Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.
We can infer, if we want to, like those slaves .
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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.

Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography is here in full — 91 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Did Francis Bacon write Shakespeare's Works?
Line 2
Nobody knows.
/ˈnoʊbɑːdiː noʊz/
Line 3
We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.
Line 4
_Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.
/noʊ ɪz tuː strɔːŋ ə wɜːrd tuː juːs wen ðə ˈevədəns ɪz nɑːt ˈfaɪnəl ənd ˌæbsəˈluːtli kənˈkluːsɪv/
Line 5
We can infer, if we want to, like those slaves .
/wiː kæn ˌɪnˈfɜːr ɪf wiː wɑːnt tuː laɪk ðoʊz sleɪvz/

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.

Bacon noun US /ˈbeɪkən/

back and sides of a hog salted and dried or smoked; usually sliced thin and fried

From this reading “Did Francis Bacon write Shakespeare's Works?”

conclusive adjective US /kənˈkluːsɪv/

forming an end or termination; especially putting an end to doubt or question

From this reading “_Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.”

evidence noun US /ˈevədəns/

your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief

From this reading “_Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.”

final adjective US /ˈfaɪnəl/

occurring at or forming an end or termination

From this reading “_Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.”

infer verb US /ˌɪnˈfɜːr/

reason by deduction; establish by deduction

From this reading “We can infer, if we want to, like those slaves .”

Shakespeare's noun US /ˈʃeɪkspiːrz/

possessive form of “shakespeare” — English poet and dramatist considered one of the greatest English writers (1564-1616)

From this reading “Did Francis Bacon write Shakespeare's Works?”

slaves noun US /sleɪvz/

plural of “slave” — a person who is owned by someone

From this reading “We can infer, if we want to, like those slaves .”

Works noun US /wɜːrks/

buildings for carrying on industrial labor

From this reading “Did Francis Bacon write Shakespeare's Works?”

All words in this reading · 39

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.

absolutelyadverbUS /ˌæbsəˈluːtli/

completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers

From this reading _Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading _Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.

BaconnounUS /ˈbeɪkən/

back and sides of a hog salted and dried or smoked; usually sliced thin and fried

From this reading Did Francis Bacon write Shakespeare's Works?

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading We can infer, if we want to, like those slaves .

cannot

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

From this reading We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.

conclusiveadjectiveUS /kənˈkluːsɪv/

forming an end or termination; especially putting an end to doubt or question

From this reading _Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.

Didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Did Francis Bacon write Shakespeare's Works?

evidencenounUS /ˈevədəns/

your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief

From this reading _Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.

finaladjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəl/

occurring at or forming an end or termination

From this reading _Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.

Francis

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

From this reading Did Francis Bacon write Shakespeare's Works?

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading We can infer, if we want to, like those slaves .

inferverbUS /ˌɪnˈfɜːr/

reason by deduction; establish by deduction

From this reading We can infer, if we want to, like those slaves .

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading _Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.

knowsnounUS /noʊz/

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading Nobody knows.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading We can infer, if we want to, like those slaves .

NobodypronounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/

no person; not anyone

From this reading Nobody knows.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.

provedadjectiveUS /pruːvd/

established beyond doubt

From this reading We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.

Shakespeare'snounUS /ˈʃeɪkspiːrz/

possessive form of “shakespeare” — English poet and dramatist considered one of the greatest English writers (1564-1616)

From this reading Did Francis Bacon write Shakespeare's Works?

slavesnounUS /sleɪvz/

plural of “slave” — a person who is owned by someone

From this reading We can infer, if we want to, like those slaves .

strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading _Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading We can infer, if we want to, like those slaves .

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading _Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading _Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading _Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading We can infer, if we want to, like those slaves .

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading We cannot say we _know_ a thing when that thing has not been proved.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading _Know_ is too strong a word to use when the evidence is not final and absolutely conclusive.

WorksnounUS /wɜːrks/

buildings for carrying on industrial labor

From this reading Did Francis Bacon write Shakespeare's Works?

writeverbUS /raɪt/

produce a literary work

From this reading Did Francis Bacon write Shakespeare's Works?

Chapter 9 of Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography by Mark Twain holds 91 sentences, grouped into 19 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 9 of Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography contain?

Chapter 9 holds 91 sentences of Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography, unabridged, divided into 19 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography by Mark Twain exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 91 sentences, grouped into 19 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 9 of Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography?

Work through the 19 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 19 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography

Common questions about reading Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography by Mark Twain on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography?

Yes. All 867 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2431 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2431, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography take to read?

About 72 minutes of reading across 174 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography

Words and structures a reader meets early in Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Scattered
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Through
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stacks
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Unpublished
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.