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Mammon and Co.
Mammon and Co.

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of Mammon and Co. is here in full — 161 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/32 · 5 lines
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TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.
It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.
But having been told he was Toby, it would have been impossible to forget or to doubt it.
The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.
He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Mammon and Co.

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of Mammon and Co. is here in full — 161 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/32 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.
Line 2
It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.
Line 3
But having been told he was Toby, it would have been impossible to forget or to doubt it.
/bʌt ˈhævɪŋ bɪn toʊld hiː wɑːz ˈtoʊbi ɪt wʊd hæv bɪn ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl tuː fərˈɡet ɔːr tuː daʊt ɪt/
Line 4
The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.
/ðə moʊst ˈvɪvəd ˌɪmædʒəˈneɪʃən kʊd nɑːt kənˈsiːv ə mɔːr ˈɑːbviəs ˈtoʊbi ðə aɪˈdentɪtiː maɪt ˈɔːlmoʊst hæv bɪn ɡest baɪ ə ˈtoʊtəl ˈstreɪndʒər ɔːr æn ˌɪnˈtelədʒənt ˈfɔːrənər/
Line 5
He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

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.

disconcerting adjective US /ˌdɪskənˈsɜːrtɪŋ/

causing an emotional disturbance

From this reading “It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.”

foreigner noun US /ˈfɔːrənər/

a person who comes from a foreign country; someone who does not owe allegiance to your country

From this reading “The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.”

freckled adjective US /ˈfrekəld/

relating to or covered with or resembling freckles

From this reading “He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.”

identity noun US /aɪˈdentɪtiː/

the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity

From this reading “The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.”

preposterous adjective US /prɪˈpɑːstərəs/

so unreasonable as to invite derision

From this reading “It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.”

requiring verb US /riˈkwaɪərɪŋ/

-ing form of “require” — require as useful, just, or proper

From this reading “It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.”

snub verb US /snʌb/

refuse to acknowledge

From this reading “He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.”

toby noun US /ˈtoʊbi/

a drinking mug in the shape of a stout man wearing a three-cornered hat

From this reading “TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

snub nose verb + noun

In this reading “He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.”

vivid imagination adjective + noun

In this reading “The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.”

total stranger verb + noun

In this reading “The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.”

twenty-four years adjective + noun

In this reading “He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.”

most preposterous adverb + adjective

In this reading “It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.”

most vivid adverb + adjective

In this reading “The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.”

difficult matter adjective + noun

In this reading “It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.”

in front preposition + noun

at or in the front

In this reading “It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.”

All words in this reading · 86

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 It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

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 TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

Anstruther

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

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

conceiveverbUS /kənˈsiːv/

have the idea for

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

D'Eyncourt

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

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

difficultadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfəkəlt/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

disconcertingadjectiveUS /ˌdɪskənˈsɜːrtɪŋ/

causing an emotional disturbance

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

doingverbUS /ˈduːɪŋ/

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading But having been told he was Toby, it would have been impossible to forget or to doubt it.

Evelyn

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

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

faithnounUS /feɪθ/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

foreignernounUS /ˈfɔːrənər/

a person who comes from a foreign country; someone who does not owe allegiance to your country

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

forgetverbUS /fərˈɡet/

dismiss from the mind; stop remembering

From this reading But having been told he was Toby, it would have been impossible to forget or to doubt it.

freckledadjectiveUS /ˈfrekəld/

relating to or covered with or resembling freckles

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

guessedverbUS /ɡest/

past form of “guess” — expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading But having been told he was Toby, it would have been impossible to forget or to doubt it.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading But having been told he was Toby, it would have been impossible to forget or to doubt it.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

identitynounUS /aɪˈdentɪtiː/

the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

imaginationnounUS /ˌɪmædʒəˈneɪʃən/

the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading But having been told he was Toby, it would have been impossible to forget or to doubt it.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

intelligentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtelədʒənt/

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

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

LordnounUS /lɔːrd/

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

Massingbird

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

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

nosenounUS /noʊz/

the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

obviousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːbviəs/

easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

pleasantlyadverbUS /ˈplezəntli/

in a cheerful manner

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

preposterousadjectiveUS /prɪˈpɑːstərəs/

so unreasonable as to invite derision

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

requiringverbUS /riˈkwaɪərɪŋ/

-ing form of “require” — require as useful, just, or proper

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

resultsnounUS /rɪˈzʌlts/

plural of “result” — a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

Ronald

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

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

seriouslyadverbUS /ˈsɪriəsli/

in a serious manner

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

slightlyadverbUS /ˈslaɪtli/

to a small degree or extent

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

snubverbUS /snʌb/

refuse to acknowledge

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

strangernounUS /ˈstreɪndʒər/

anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

TOBYnounUS /ˈtoʊbi/

a drinking mug in the shape of a stout man wearing a three-cornered hat

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

Tobys

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

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading But having been told he was Toby, it would have been impossible to forget or to doubt it.

totalverbUS /ˈtoʊtəl/

add up in number or quantity

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

twenty-fouradjectiveUS /ˈtwentifɔːr/

being four more than twenty

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

uglyadjectiveUS /ˈʌɡli/

displeasing to the senses

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

usuallyadverbUS /ˈjuːʒəwəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/

evoking lifelike images within the mind

From this reading The most vivid imagination could not conceive a more obvious Toby; the identity might almost have been guessed by a total stranger or an intelligent foreigner.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading TOBY Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird was not usually known as all or any of this, but as Toby.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading He was about twenty-four years old (the usual age of Tobys), and he had a pleasantly ugly face, with a snub nose, slightly freckled.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading It would have been a difficult matter, requiring a faith of the most preposterous sort, to have stood in front of him and seriously said, "I believe you to be Lord Evelyn Ronald Anstruther D'Eyncourt Massingbird," and the results of so doing might have been quite disconcerting.

Chapter 5 of Mammon and Co. by E. F. (Edward Frederic) Benson holds 161 sentences, grouped into 33 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 Mammon and Co. contain?

Chapter 5 holds 161 sentences of Mammon and Co., unabridged, divided into 33 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Mammon and Co. by E. F. (Edward Frederic) Benson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 161 sentences, grouped into 33 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 Mammon and Co.?

Work through the 33 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 33 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 Mammon and Co.

Common questions about reading Mammon and Co. by E. F. (Edward Frederic) Benson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mammon and Co.?

Yes. All 5924 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #40797 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mammon and Co. is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #40797, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mammon and Co. take to read?

About 493 minutes of reading across 1185 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mammon and Co. section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 25 chapters of Mammon and Co. 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 Mammon and Co.

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mammon and Co., each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Mammon
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mammon and Co.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Benson
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mammon and Co.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cloth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mammon and Co.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Latest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mammon and Co.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.