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My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard
My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard is here in full — 442 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard
Context Illustration Reading 1/88 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.
She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"
I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.
We greet thee, all.
Kwei-li.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard is here in full — 442 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/88 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.
Line 2
She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"
Line 3
I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.
/aɪ mʌst send ə ˈsɜːrvənt wɪð ðə reɪn ˈkʌvərɪŋz fɔːr ðə ˈtʃɪldrən ðæt ðeɪ meɪ nɑːt ɡet wet ɪn rɪˈtɜːrnɪŋ frʌm ðer skuːlz/
Line 4
We greet thee, all.
/wiː ɡriːt ðiː ɔːl/
Line 5
Kwei-li.

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.

coverings noun US /ˈkʌvərɪŋz/

plural of “covering” — a natural object that covers or envelops

From this reading “I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.”

greet verb US /ɡriːt/

express greetings upon meeting someone

From this reading “We greet thee, all.”

heights noun US /haɪts/

a high place

From this reading “She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"”

schools noun US /skuːlz/

plural of “school” — an educational institution

From this reading “I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.”

seed noun US /siːd/

a small hard fruit

From this reading “"Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.”

unseen adjective US /ənˈsiːn/

not seen or perceived

From this reading “She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"”

wanders verb US /ˈwɑːndərz/

third-person singular of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading “She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"”

wet adjective US /wet/

covered or soaked with a liquid such as water

From this reading “I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.”

All words in this reading · 61

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 She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

aidnounUS /eɪd/

a person or thing that is a resource that helps make something easier or possible to do

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

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 We greet thee, all.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

cometh

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

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

coveringsnounUS /ˈkʌvərɪŋz/

plural of “covering” — a natural object that covers or envelops

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

feelverbUS /fiːl/

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

friendlyadjectiveUS /ˈfrendli/

characteristic of or befitting a friend

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

furrows

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

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

greennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

greetverbUS /ɡriːt/

express greetings upon meeting someone

From this reading We greet thee, all.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

heightsnounUS /haɪts/

a high place

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

knowsnounUS /noʊz/

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

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

Kwei-li

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

From this reading Kwei-li.

landnounUS /lænd/

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

lo

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

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

neednounUS /niːd/

a condition requiring relief

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

rainnounUS /reɪn/

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

returningadjectiveUS /rɪˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

tending to return to an earlier state

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

schoolsnounUS /skuːlz/

plural of “school” — an educational institution

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

seednounUS /siːd/

a small hard fruit

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

sendverbUS /send/

cause to go somewhere

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

servantnounUS /ˈsɜːrvənt/

a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

silentadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪlənt/

marked by absence of sound

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

sun-drawn

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

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

tearsnounUS /terz/

the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

theepronounUS /ðiː/

an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person

From this reading We greet thee, all.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

unseenadjectiveUS /ənˈsiːn/

not seen or perceived

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

wandersverbUS /ˈwɑːndərz/

third-person singular of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We greet thee, all.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

wetadjectiveUS /wet/

covered or soaked with a liquid such as water

From this reading I must send a servant with the rain coverings for the children, that they may not get wet in returning from their schools.

WhopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading "Oh she is good, the little rain, and well she knows our need, Who cometh in the time of spring to aid the sun-drawn seed.

windnounUS /waɪnd/

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading She wanders with a friendly wind through silent heights unseen, The furrows feel her happy tears, and lo, the land is green!"

Chapter 4 of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard by Elizabeth Cooper holds 442 sentences, grouped into 89 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 4 of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard contain?

Chapter 4 holds 442 sentences of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard, unabridged, divided into 89 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard by Elizabeth Cooper exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 442 sentences, grouped into 89 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 4 of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard?

Work through the 89 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 89 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 4 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard

Common questions about reading My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard by Elizabeth Cooper on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard?

Yes. All 2168 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #19665 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #19665, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard take to read?

About 180 minutes of reading across 434 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard section by section

How to work through My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 5 chapters of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard 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 My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard

Words and structures a reader meets early in My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chinese
A word that appears in the opening chapter of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Courtyard
A word that appears in the opening chapter of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Elizabeth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cooper
A word that appears in the opening chapter of My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.