Chapter 4 of Merry's Book of Puzzles is here in full — 389 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Merry's Book of Puzzles is here in full — 389 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate? 381. What fish does a bride wear on her finger? 382. Why is Merry's Museum like a printing-office?
Chapter 4 of Merry's Book of Puzzles is here in full — 389 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/77 · 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.
a woman who has recently been married
From this reading “What fish does a bride wear on her finger?”
plural of “crumb” — a very small quantity of something
From this reading “What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?”
plural of “dive” — a cheap disreputable nightclub or dance hall
From this reading “What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?”
the act of consuming food
From this reading “What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?”
the person who Jesus raised from the dead after four days in the tomb; this miracle caused the enemies of Jesus to begin the plan to put him to death
From this reading “What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?”
a depository for collecting and displaying objects having scientific or historical or artistic value
From this reading “Why is Merry's Museum like a printing-office?”
a recklessly extravagant consumer
From this reading “What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?”
misery resulting from affliction
From this reading “What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?”
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.
In this reading “What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?”
pass slowly (of time)
In this reading “What fish does a bride wear on her finger?”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 381.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 382.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading What fish does a bride wear on her finger?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
a woman who has recently been married
From this reading What fish does a bride wear on her finger?
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
plural of “crumb” — a very small quantity of something
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
the quality of being unlike or dissimilar
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
plural of “dive” — a cheap disreputable nightclub or dance hall
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What fish does a bride wear on her finger?
everything you own; all of your assets (whether real property or personal property) and liabilities
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
the act of consuming food
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
feel or handle with the fingers
From this reading What fish does a bride wear on her finger?
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading What fish does a bride wear on her finger?
a movable barrier in a fence or wall
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading What fish does a bride wear on her finger?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Why is Merry's Museum like a printing-office?
the person who Jesus raised from the dead after four days in the tomb; this miracle caused the enemies of Jesus to begin the plan to put him to death
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Why is Merry's Museum like a printing-office?
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why is Merry's Museum like a printing-office?
a depository for collecting and displaying objects having scientific or historical or artistic value
From this reading Why is Merry's Museum like a printing-office?
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why is Merry's Museum like a printing-office?
a recklessly extravagant consumer
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
be dressed in
From this reading What fish does a bride wear on her finger?
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why is Merry's Museum like a printing-office?
misery resulting from affliction
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading What was the difference--can you show-- Between the Prodigal in his woe, And Lazarus, in his low estate, Feeding on crumbs at Dives' gate?
Chapter 4 of Merry's Book of Puzzles by J. N. (John Newton) Stearns holds 389 sentences, grouped into 78 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 389 sentences of Merry's Book of Puzzles, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Merry's Book of Puzzles by J. N. (John Newton) Stearns exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 389 sentences, grouped into 78 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 78 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 78 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 Merry's Book of Puzzles by J. N. (John Newton) Stearns on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4635 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #53847 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #53847, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 386 minutes of reading across 927 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Merry's Book of Puzzles section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 12 chapters of Merry's Book of Puzzles 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 Merry's Book of Puzzles, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
