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Old Fritz and the New Era
Old Fritz and the New Era

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Old Fritz and the New Era is here in full — 214 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/42 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.
Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.
Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”
And what if I would not have let you come in at all?” said the king, smiling.
The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Old Fritz and the New Era

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Old Fritz and the New Era is here in full — 214 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.
Line 2
Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.
Line 3
Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”
/jɔːr ˈmædʒəsti juː seɪ ðæt juː sent fɔːr miː bʌt aɪ mʌst tel juː ðæt ɪf juː hæd nɑːt sent fɔːr miː aɪ wʊd hæv kʌm hiːr əˈloʊn ənd beɡd soʊ lɔːŋ æt ðə dɔːr ðæt juː wʊd hæv let miː kʌm ɪn/
Line 4
And what if I would not have let you come in at all?” said the king, smiling.
/ənd wʌt ɪf aɪ wʊd nɑːt hæv let juː kʌm ɪn æt ɔːl sed ðə kɪŋ ˈsmaɪlɪŋ/
Line 5
The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

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.

ceremony noun US /ˈserəmoʊni/

a formal event performed on a special occasion

From this reading “The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.”

commission noun US /kəˈmɪʃən/

a special group delegated to consider some matter

From this reading “The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’”

confident adjective US /ˈkɑːnfədənt/

having or marked by confidence or assurance

From this reading “The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’”

curls noun US /kɜːrlz/

plural of “curl” — a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)

From this reading “Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.”

rosy adjective US /ˈroʊzi/

reflecting optimism

From this reading “Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.”

skipped verb US /skɪpt/

inflected form of “skip” — bypass

From this reading “The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.”

sparkling adjective US /ˈspɑːrklɪŋ/

shining with brilliant points of light like stars

From this reading “Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.”

uniform adjective US /ˈjuːnəfɔːrm/

always the same; showing a single form or character in all occurrences

From this reading “The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’”

All words in this reading · 96

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 The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

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 “And what if I would not have let you come in at all?” said the king, smiling.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

beggedverbUS /beɡd/

inflected form of “beg” — call upon in supplication; entreat

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

boundadjectiveUS /baʊnd/

confined by bonds

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

bright-blue

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

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

ceremonynounUS /ˈserəmoʊni/

a formal event performed on a special occasion

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

cheeksnounUS /tʃiːks/

plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

commissionnounUS /kəˈmɪʃən/

a special group delegated to consider some matter

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

confidentadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnfədənt/

having or marked by confidence or assurance

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

curlsnounUS /kɜːrlz/

plural of “curl” — a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

facenounUS /feɪs/

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

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

flag-bearer

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

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

flag-bearer's

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

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

forcedadjectiveUS /fɔːrst/

produced by or subjected to forcing

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

gracefuladjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪsfəl/

characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

great-unclenoun

an uncle of your father or mother

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

kingnounUS /kɪŋ/

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

kissedverbUS /kɪst/

past form of “kiss” — touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

light-brown

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

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

lipsnounUS /lɪps/

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

majestynounUS /ˈmædʒəsti/

impressiveness in scale or proportion

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

merryadjectiveUS /ˈmeri/

full of or showing high-spirited merriment

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

pressedadjectiveUS /prest/

compacted by ironing

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

raisingnounUS /ˈreɪzɪŋ/

the event of something being raised upward

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

reflectedadjectiveUS /rɪˈflektɪd/

(especially of incident sound or light) bent or sent back

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

rosyadjectiveUS /ˈroʊzi/

reflecting optimism

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “And what if I would not have let you come in at all?” said the king, smiling.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

sayingnounUS /ˈseɪɪŋ/

a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

shakingnounUS /ˈʃeɪkɪŋ/

the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

skippedverbUS /skɪpt/

inflected form of “skip” — bypass

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

smilingnounUS /ˈsmaɪlɪŋ/

a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

From this reading “And what if I would not have let you come in at all?” said the king, smiling.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

sparklingadjectiveUS /ˈspɑːrklɪŋ/

shining with brilliant points of light like stars

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

sprangverbUS /spræŋ/

inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

thankverbUS /θæŋk/

express gratitude or show appreciation to

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then, raising up his head and shaking back his light-brown curls from his rosy cheeks, his bright-blue eyes sparkling, he looked him full in the face.

thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/

the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

thrownadjectiveUS /θroʊn/

caused to fall to the ground

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

uniformadjectiveUS /ˈjuːnəfɔːrm/

always the same; showing a single form or character in all occurrences

From this reading The little flag-bearer reflected a moment, then answered with a confident air: “Your majesty, I would have forced open the door, thrown myself at your feet, and kissed your hand, saying, ‘My king, my dear great-uncle, I must come in to thank you a thousand times for the flag-bearer’s commission you have sent me, and for the beautiful uniform.’

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

vivacitynoun

characterized by high spirits and animation

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “And what if I would not have let you come in at all?” said the king, smiling.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading The little flag-bearer skipped into the room with graceful vivacity, and sprang, with a merry bound, up to the king, took his hand without ceremony, and pressed it to his lips.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

YourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Your majesty, you say that you sent for me; but I must tell you that if you had not sent for me I would have come here alone, and begged so long at the door, that you would have let me come in!”

Chapter 4 of Old Fritz and the New Era by L. (Luise) Mühlbach holds 214 sentences, grouped into 43 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 Old Fritz and the New Era contain?

Chapter 4 holds 214 sentences of Old Fritz and the New Era, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Old Fritz and the New Era by L. (Luise) Mühlbach exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 214 sentences, grouped into 43 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 Old Fritz and the New Era?

Work through the 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 43 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 Old Fritz and the New Era

Common questions about reading Old Fritz and the New Era by L. (Luise) Mühlbach on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Old Fritz and the New Era?

Yes. All 7531 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3460 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Old Fritz and the New Era is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3460, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Old Fritz and the New Era take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1507 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Old Fritz and the New Era section by section

How to work through Old Fritz and the New Era section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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    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 Old Fritz and the New Era

Words and structures a reader meets early in Old Fritz and the New Era, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Visibles
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Old Fritz and the New Era; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Invisibles
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Old Fritz and the New Era; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Xxviii
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Old Fritz and the New Era; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fritz
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Old Fritz and the New Era; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.