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Of Human Bondage
Of Human Bondage

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Of Human Bondage is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Of Human Bondage
Context Illustration Reading 1/82 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.
But he could never get near enough to put the salt on a bird’s tail.
Before Easter he had given up the struggle.
He felt a dull resentment against his uncle for taking him in.
The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.
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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.

Of Human Bondage

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Of Human Bondage is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.
Line 2
But he could never get near enough to put the salt on a bird’s tail.
Line 3
Before Easter he had given up the struggle.
Line 4
He felt a dull resentment against his uncle for taking him in.
Line 5
The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.

All words in this reading · 66

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.

a

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

about

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

against

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

From this reading He felt a dull resentment against his uncle for taking him in.

and

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

another

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

From this reading The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.

any

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

bag

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

Before

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

From this reading Before Easter he had given up the struggle.

bird

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

bird's

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

From this reading But he could never get near enough to put the salt on a bird’s tail.

But

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

From this reading But he could never get near enough to put the salt on a bird’s tail.

by

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

catch

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

could

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

dull

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

From this reading He felt a dull resentment against his uncle for taking him in.

Easter

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

From this reading Before Easter he had given up the struggle.

enough

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

From this reading But he could never get near enough to put the salt on a bird’s tail.

felt

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

From this reading He felt a dull resentment against his uncle for taking him in.

for

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

From this reading He felt a dull resentment against his uncle for taking him in.

Gardens

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

get

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

From this reading But he could never get near enough to put the salt on a bird’s tail.

given

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

From this reading Before Easter he had given up the struggle.

had

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

he

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

him

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

his

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

in

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

From this reading He felt a dull resentment against his uncle for taking him in.

into

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

It

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

just

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

From this reading The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.

Kensington

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

like

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

little

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

meant

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

From this reading The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.

mountains

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

From this reading The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.

moving

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

From this reading The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.

near

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

From this reading But he could never get near enough to put the salt on a bird’s tail.

never

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

From this reading But he could never get near enough to put the salt on a bird’s tail.

nurse

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

of

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

on

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

once

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

one

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

From this reading The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.

put

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

From this reading But he could never get near enough to put the salt on a bird’s tail.

putting

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

resentment

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

From this reading He felt a dull resentment against his uncle for taking him in.

said

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

From this reading The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.

salt

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

spoke

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

From this reading The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.

struggle

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

From this reading Before Easter he had given up the struggle.

tail

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

taken

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

taking

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

From this reading He felt a dull resentment against his uncle for taking him in.

tell

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

text

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

From this reading The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.

that

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

From this reading The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.

the

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

thing

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

From this reading The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.

those

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

From this reading The text which spoke of the moving of mountains was just one of those that said one thing and meant another.

to

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

uncle

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

From this reading He felt a dull resentment against his uncle for taking him in.

up

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

From this reading Before Easter he had given up the struggle.

used

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

was

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

which

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

you

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

From this reading It was like the salt which his nurse used to tell him about: you could catch any bird by putting salt on his tail; and once he had taken a little bag of it into Kensington Gardens.

Chapter 4 of Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham holds 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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 4 of Of Human Bondage contain?

Chapter 4 holds 412 sentences of Of Human Bondage, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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 Of Human Bondage?

Work through the 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 83 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 Of Human Bondage

Common questions about reading Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Of Human Bondage?

Yes. All 16284 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #351 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Of Human Bondage is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #351, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Of Human Bondage take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 3257 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Of Human Bondage section by section

How to work through Of Human Bondage section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Of Human Bondage 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 Of Human Bondage

Words and structures a reader meets early in Of Human Bondage, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Broke
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Of Human Bondage; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Clouds
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Of Human Bondage; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Heavily
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Of Human Bondage; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rawness
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Of Human Bondage; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.