Chapter 4 of On the Face of the Waters is here in full — 234 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of On the Face of the Waters is here in full — 234 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
TAPE AND SEALING-WAX. "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up. I never come across them. And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way." He spoke fretfully, as one might who, having done his best, has failed.
Chapter 4 of On the Face of the Waters is here in full — 234 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/46 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion
From this reading “"I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.”
being roughly between 45 and 65 years old
From this reading “"I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.”
having official authority or sanction
From this reading “"I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.”
plural of “pick” — the person or thing chosen or selected
From this reading “"I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.”
a collection of objects laid on top of each other
From this reading “"I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.”
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading “"I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.”
travel through water
From this reading “And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."”
a long thin piece of cloth or paper as used for binding or fastening
From this reading “TAPE AND SEALING-WAX.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
push out of the way
In this reading “"I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.”
a man who is roughly between 45 and 65 years old
In this reading “"I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.”
find unexpectedly
In this reading “I never come across them.”
In this reading “And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading I never come across them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading TAPE AND SEALING-WAX.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
on or to one side
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading He spoke fretfully, as one might who, having done his best, has failed.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading I never come across them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading He spoke fretfully, as one might who, having done his best, has failed.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading He spoke fretfully, as one might who, having done his best, has failed.
in a fretful manner
From this reading He spoke fretfully, as one might who, having done his best, has failed.
pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He spoke fretfully, as one might who, having done his best, has failed.
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading He spoke fretfully, as one might who, having done his best, has failed.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He spoke fretfully, as one might who, having done his best, has failed.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
being roughly between 45 and 65 years old
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He spoke fretfully, as one might who, having done his best, has failed.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading I never come across them.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
having official authority or sanction
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He spoke fretfully, as one might who, having done his best, has failed.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."
writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
in a petulant manner
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
plural of “pick” — the person or thing chosen or selected
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
a collection of objects laid on top of each other
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TAPE AND SEALING-WAX.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading He spoke fretfully, as one might who, having done his best, has failed.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."
travel through water
From this reading And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."
a long thin piece of cloth or paper as used for binding or fastening
From this reading TAPE AND SEALING-WAX.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I never come across them.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And it is not as if he were in a big station or--or in the swim in any way."
in or at the place that
From this reading "I can't think," said a good-looking middle-aged man as he petulantly pushed aside a pile of official papers, "where Dashe picks these things up.
which person or people
From this reading He spoke fretfully, as one might who, having done his best, has failed.
Chapter 4 of On the Face of the Waters by Flora Annie Webster Steel holds 234 sentences, grouped into 47 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 4 holds 234 sentences of On the Face of the Waters, unabridged, divided into 47 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of On the Face of the Waters by Flora Annie Webster Steel exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 234 sentences, grouped into 47 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 47 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 47 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading On the Face of the Waters by Flora Annie Webster Steel on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 10147 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #40140 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #40140, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 2030 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through On the Face of the Waters section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 32 chapters of On the Face of the Waters to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in On the Face of the Waters, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
