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Saturday's Child
Saturday's Child

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Saturday's Child is here in full — 476 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Saturday's Child
Context Illustration Reading 1/95 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.
Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.
She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.
Tangible proof of his affection there was indeed, to display to the eyes of her world.
But it was for intangible proof that Susan's heart longed day after day.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Saturday's Child

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Saturday's Child is here in full — 476 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/95 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.
Line 2
Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.
Line 3
She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.
Line 4
Tangible proof of his affection there was indeed, to display to the eyes of her world.
/ˈtændʒəbəl pruːf ʌv hɪz əˈfekʃən ðer wɑːz ˌɪnˈdiːd tuː dɪˈspleɪ tuː ðə aɪz ʌv hɜːr wɜːrld/
Line 5
But it was for intangible proof that Susan's heart longed day after day.

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.

Chutes noun US /ʃuːts/

plural of “chute” — rescue equipment consisting of a device that fills with air and retards your fall

From this reading “Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.”

intangible noun US /ˌɪnˈtændʒəbəl/

assets that are saleable though not material or physical

From this reading “But it was for intangible proof that Susan's heart longed day after day.”

peanuts noun US /ˈpiːnəts/

an insignificant sum of money; a trifling amount

From this reading “Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.”

Tangible adjective US /ˈtændʒəbəl/

perceptible by the senses especially the sense of touch

From this reading “Tangible proof of his affection there was indeed, to display to the eyes of her world.”

teased adjective US /tiːzd/

feeling mild pleasurable excitement

From this reading “Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.”

Thorny adjective US /ˈθɔːrni/

bristling with perplexities

From this reading “Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.”

unfounded adjective US /ənˈfaʊndɪd/

without a basis in reason or fact

From this reading “She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.”

Wally noun US /ˈwɔːli/

a silly and inept person; someone who is regarded as stupid

From this reading “Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.”

All words in this reading · 93

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 Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

acceptedadjectiveUS /ækˈseptɪd/

generally approved or compelling recognition

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

affectionnounUS /əˈfekʃən/

a positive feeling of liking

From this reading Tangible proof of his affection there was indeed, to display to the eyes of her world.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading But it was for intangible proof that Susan's heart longed day after day.

afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

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 liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

animalsnounUS /ˈænəməlz/

plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

bowedadjectiveUS /baʊd/

of a stringed instrument; sounded by stroking with a bow

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But it was for intangible proof that Susan's heart longed day after day.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

ChutesnounUS /ʃuːts/

plural of “chute” — rescue equipment consisting of a device that fills with air and retards your fall

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

Coleman

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

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

crowdverbUS /kraʊd/

cause to herd, drive, or crowd together

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

displaynounUS /dɪˈspleɪ/

something intended to communicate a particular impression

From this reading Tangible proof of his affection there was indeed, to display to the eyes of her world.

dreamsnounUS /driːmz/

plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

driftingnounUS /ˈdrɪftɪŋ/

aimless wandering from place to place

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

eatingnounUS /ˈiːtɪŋ/

the act of consuming food

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

enjoyingverbUS /ˌenˈdʒɔɪɪŋ/

-ing form of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading Tangible proof of his affection there was indeed, to display to the eyes of her world.

fabricnounUS /ˈfæbrɪk/

artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

faithfuladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪθfəl/

steadfast in affection or allegiance

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

feedingnounUS /ˈfiːdɪŋ/

the act of consuming food

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

friendshipnounUS /ˈfrendʃɪp/

the state of being friends (or friendly)

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

GatenounUS /ɡeɪt/

a movable barrier in a fence or wall

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

GoldenadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊldən/

having the deep slightly brownish color of gold

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading But it was for intangible proof that Susan's heart longed day after day.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Tangible proof of his affection there was indeed, to display to the eyes of her world.

holidaynounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪ/

leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

idlyadverbUS /ˈaɪdli/

in an idle manner

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading Tangible proof of his affection there was indeed, to display to the eyes of her world.

intangiblenounUS /ˌɪnˈtændʒəbəl/

assets that are saleable though not material or physical

From this reading But it was for intangible proof that Susan's heart longed day after day.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

likedadjectiveUS /laɪkt/

found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

longedverbUS /lɔːŋd/

past form of “long” — desire strongly or persistently

From this reading But it was for intangible proof that Susan's heart longed day after day.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

noticedadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəst/

being perceived or observed

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

occasionnounUS /əˈkeɪʒən/

an event that occurs at a critical time

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

others

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

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

ParknounUS /pɑːrk/

a large area of land preserved in its natural state as public property

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

peanutsnounUS /ˈpiːnəts/

an insignificant sum of money; a trifling amount

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

PeternounUS /ˈpiːtər/

disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

pleasurenounUS /ˈpleʒər/

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

proofnounUS /pruːf/

any factual evidence that helps to establish the truth of something

From this reading Tangible proof of his affection there was indeed, to display to the eyes of her world.

realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

romanticadjectiveUS /roʊˈmæntɪk/

belonging to or characteristic of Romanticism or the Romantic Movement in the arts

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

spentadjectiveUS /spent/

depleted of energy, force, or strength

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

SundaynounUS /ˈsʌndeɪ/

first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

sunshinenounUS /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/

the rays of the sun

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

Susan

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

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

Susan's

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

From this reading But it was for intangible proof that Susan's heart longed day after day.

TangibleadjectiveUS /ˈtændʒəbəl/

perceptible by the senses especially the sense of touch

From this reading Tangible proof of his affection there was indeed, to display to the eyes of her world.

teasedadjectiveUS /tiːzd/

feeling mild pleasurable excitement

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

theaternounUS /ˈθiːətər/

a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Tangible proof of his affection there was indeed, to display to the eyes of her world.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

ThornyadjectiveUS /ˈθɔːrni/

bristling with perplexities

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

tripnounUS /trɪp/

a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

TwonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

unfoundedadjectiveUS /ənˈfaʊndɪd/

without a basis in reason or fact

From this reading She liked anything that made her friendship for Peter seem real, a thing noticed and accepted by others, not all the romantic fabric of her own unfounded dreams.

WallynounUS /ˈwɔːli/

a silly and inept person; someone who is regarded as stupid

From this reading Susan bowed to Thorny and the faithful Wally on this last occasion and was teased by Thorny about Peter Coleman the next day, to her secret pleasure.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

weeksnounUS /wiːks/

plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

wonderfuladjectiveUS /ˈwʌndərfəl/

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading Two weeks later she and Peter Coleman had their evening at the Chutes, and a wonderful evening it was; then came a theater trip, and a Sunday afternoon that they spent in idly drifting about Golden Gate Park, enjoying the spring sunshine, and the holiday crowd, feeding the animals and eating peanuts.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading Tangible proof of his affection there was indeed, to display to the eyes of her world.

Chapter 4 of Saturday's Child by Kathleen Thompson Norris holds 476 sentences, grouped into 96 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 Saturday's Child contain?

Chapter 4 holds 476 sentences of Saturday's Child, unabridged, divided into 96 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Saturday's Child by Kathleen Thompson Norris exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 476 sentences, grouped into 96 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 Saturday's Child?

Work through the 96 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 96 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 Saturday's Child

Common questions about reading Saturday's Child by Kathleen Thompson Norris on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Saturday's Child?

Yes. All 9486 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4687 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Saturday's Child is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4687, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Saturday's Child take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1898 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Saturday's Child section by section

How to work through Saturday's Child section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 20 chapters of Saturday's Child 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 Saturday's Child

Words and structures a reader meets early in Saturday's Child, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Mcallister
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Saturday's Child; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Street
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Saturday's Child; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cable-car
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Saturday's Child; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Packed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Saturday's Child; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.