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Nobody's boy (Sans famille)
Nobody's boy (Sans famille)

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Nobody's boy (Sans famille) is here in full — 243 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Nobody's boy (Sans famille)
Context Illustration Reading 1/48 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.
When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.
I felt the bed and pinched my arms to see if it were true.
Ah, yes, I was still with Mother Barberin.
She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.
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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.

Nobody's boy (Sans famille)

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Nobody's boy (Sans famille) is here in full — 243 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/48 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.
Line 2
When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.
/wen aɪ ˈoʊpənd maɪ aɪz ɪn ðə ˈɜːrli ˈmɔːrnɪŋ aɪ kʊd ˈskersli bɪˈliːv ðæt aɪ wɑːz stɪl ðer ɪn maɪ ˈlɪtəl bed/
Line 3
I felt the bed and pinched my arms to see if it were true.
/aɪ felt ðə bed ənd pɪntʃt maɪ ɑːrmz tuː siː ɪf ɪt wɜːr truː/
Line 4
Ah, yes, I was still with Mother Barberin.
Line 5
She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.
/ʃiː sed ˈnʌθɪŋ tuː miː ɔːl ðə ˈmɔːrnɪŋ ənd aɪ bɪˈɡæn tuː θɪŋk ðæt ðeɪ hæd ˈɡɪvən ʌp ðə aɪˈdiːə ʌv ˈsendɪŋ miː əˈweɪ/

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.

company noun US /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading “SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.”

dreamed adjective US /driːmd/

conceived of or imagined or hoped for

From this reading “SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.”

early adjective US /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading “When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.”

idea noun US /aɪˈdiːə/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading “She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.”

pinched adjective US /pɪntʃt/

sounding as if the nose were pinched

From this reading “I felt the bed and pinched my arms to see if it were true.”

scarcely adverb US /ˈskersli/

only a very short time before

From this reading “When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.”

sending noun US /ˈsendɪŋ/

the act of causing something to go (especially messages)

From this reading “She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.”

signor noun US /ˈsiːnjɔːr/

used as an Italian courtesy title; can be prefixed to the name or used separately

From this reading “SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.”

All words in this reading · 56

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.

Ah

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

From this reading Ah, yes, I was still with Mother Barberin.

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 She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I felt the bed and pinched my arms to see if it were true.

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading I felt the bed and pinched my arms to see if it were true.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

Barberin

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

From this reading Ah, yes, I was still with Mother Barberin.

bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

COMPANYnounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

dreamedadjectiveUS /driːmd/

conceived of or imagined or hoped for

From this reading SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.

earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading I felt the bed and pinched my arms to see if it were true.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.

HomenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.

ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading I felt the bed and pinched my arms to see if it were true.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I felt the bed and pinched my arms to see if it were true.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

MothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading Ah, yes, I was still with Mother Barberin.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/

used of mouth or eyes

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

pinchedadjectiveUS /pɪntʃt/

sounding as if the nose were pinched

From this reading I felt the bed and pinched my arms to see if it were true.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

scarcelyadverbUS /ˈskersli/

only a very short time before

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading I felt the bed and pinched my arms to see if it were true.

sendingnounUS /ˈsendɪŋ/

the act of causing something to go (especially messages)

From this reading She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

SIGNORnounUS /ˈsiːnjɔːr/

used as an Italian courtesy title; can be prefixed to the name or used separately

From this reading SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading I felt the bed and pinched my arms to see if it were true.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading She said nothing to me all the morning, and I began to think that they had given up the idea of sending me away.

VITALIS

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

From this reading SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY That night I dreamed that I had been taken to the Home.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading I felt the bed and pinched my arms to see if it were true.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When I opened my eyes in the early morning I could scarcely believe that I was still there in my little bed.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Ah, yes, I was still with Mother Barberin.

yesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading Ah, yes, I was still with Mother Barberin.

Chapter 4 of Nobody's boy (Sans famille) by Hector Malot holds 243 sentences, grouped into 49 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 Nobody's boy (Sans famille) contain?

Chapter 4 holds 243 sentences of Nobody's boy (Sans famille), unabridged, divided into 49 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Nobody's boy (Sans famille) by Hector Malot exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 243 sentences, grouped into 49 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 Nobody's boy (Sans famille)?

Work through the 49 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 49 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 Nobody's boy (Sans famille)

Common questions about reading Nobody's boy (Sans famille) by Hector Malot on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Nobody's boy (Sans famille)?

Yes. All 6636 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #25102 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Nobody's boy (Sans famille) is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #25102, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Nobody's boy (Sans famille) take to read?

About 553 minutes of reading across 1328 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Nobody's boy (Sans famille) section by section

How to work through Nobody's boy (Sans famille) section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in Nobody's boy (Sans famille)

Words and structures a reader meets early in Nobody's boy (Sans famille), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Nobody's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nobody's boy (Sans famille); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Published
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nobody's boy (Sans famille); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
France
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nobody's boy (Sans famille); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Under
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nobody's boy (Sans famille); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.