Chapter 4 of Questionable Shapes is here in full — 395 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Questionable Shapes is here in full — 395 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Oh, no. He was far too literary for _that_,” I answered. “He had a reputation to lose.” “Pretty good,” said Minver, “even if Ormond _is_ dead.” Wanhope ignored us both.
Chapter 4 of Questionable Shapes is here in full — 395 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/79 · 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.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading “He was far too literary for _that_,” I answered.”
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading ““Pretty good,” said Minver, “even if Ormond _is_ dead.””
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading “He was far too literary for _that_,” I answered.”
disregarded
From this reading “Wanhope ignored us both.”
of or relating to or characteristic of literature
From this reading “He was far too literary for _that_,” I answered.”
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading ““He had a reputation to lose.””
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading ““Pretty good,” said Minver, “even if Ormond _is_ dead.””
the state of being held in high esteem and honor
From this reading ““He had a reputation to lose.””
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 “He had a reputation to lose.”
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading He was far too literary for _that_,” I answered.
the two together, not just one
From this reading Wanhope ignored us both.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading “Pretty good,” said Minver, “even if Ormond _is_ dead.”
divisible by two
From this reading “Pretty good,” said Minver, “even if Ormond _is_ dead.”
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading He was far too literary for _that_,” I answered.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was far too literary for _that_,” I answered.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading “Pretty good,” said Minver, “even if Ormond _is_ dead.”
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “He had a reputation to lose.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was far too literary for _that_,” I answered.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading He was far too literary for _that_,” I answered.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “Pretty good,” said Minver, “even if Ormond _is_ dead.”
disregarded
From this reading Wanhope ignored us both.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Pretty good,” said Minver, “even if Ormond _is_ dead.”
of or relating to or characteristic of literature
From this reading He was far too literary for _that_,” I answered.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading “He had a reputation to lose.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Pretty good,” said Minver, “even if Ormond _is_ dead.”
not any; not one
From this reading “Oh, no.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading “Oh, no.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Pretty good,” said Minver, “even if Ormond _is_ dead.”
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading “Pretty good,” said Minver, “even if Ormond _is_ dead.”
the state of being held in high esteem and honor
From this reading “He had a reputation to lose.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Pretty good,” said Minver, “even if Ormond _is_ dead.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He was far too literary for _that_,” I answered.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “He had a reputation to lose.”
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading He was far too literary for _that_,” I answered.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Wanhope ignored us both.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wanhope ignored us both.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was far too literary for _that_,” I answered.
Chapter 4 of Questionable Shapes by William Dean Howells holds 395 sentences, grouped into 79 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 395 sentences of Questionable Shapes, unabridged, divided into 79 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Questionable Shapes by William Dean Howells exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 395 sentences, grouped into 79 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 79 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 79 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 Questionable Shapes by William Dean Howells on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2014 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9458 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #9458, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 167 minutes of reading across 403 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Questionable Shapes section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 5 chapters of Questionable Shapes 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 Questionable Shapes, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
