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School-Room Humour
School-Room Humour

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of School-Room Humour is here in full — 334 sentences across 67 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By T. J. (Thomas James) Macnamara • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for School-Room Humour
Context Illustration Reading 1/66 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"I NOW TAKE MY PEN IN HAND."
A policeman passes.
SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.
You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.
Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

School-Room Humour

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of School-Room Humour is here in full — 334 sentences across 67 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/66 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"I NOW TAKE MY PEN IN HAND."
/aɪ naʊ teɪk maɪ pen ɪn hænd/
Line 2
A policeman passes.
/ə pəˈliːsmən ˈpæsəz/
Line 3
SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.
Line 4
You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.
Line 5
Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.
/ʌv kɔːrs ˈmeni ʌv ðə ˈtʃɪldrən ɪn ðə ˈpuːrər ˌeləˈmentri skuːlz pəˈzes ˈoʊnli ə ˈveri ˈlɪmətəd ənd ˈveri ˈprɪmətɪv voʊˈkæbjəleri/

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.

composition noun US /ˌkɑːmpəˈzɪʃən/

the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole

From this reading “You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
conspicuously adverb US /kənˈspɪkjuːəsli/

in a manner tending to attract attention

From this reading “You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
elementary adjective US /ˌeləˈmentri/

easy and not involved or complicated

From this reading “Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
essays noun US /eˈseɪz/

plural of “essay” — an analytic or interpretive literary composition

From this reading “You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
poorer adjective US /ˈpuːrər/

comparative of “poor” — deserving or inciting pity

From this reading “Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
primitive adjective US /ˈprɪmətɪv/

belonging to an early stage of technical development; characterized by simplicity and (often) crudeness

From this reading “Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
vocabulary noun US /voʊˈkæbjəleri/

a listing of the words used in some enterprise

From this reading “Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
workings noun US /ˈwɜːrkɪŋz/

the internal mechanism of a device

From this reading “You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

elementary schools adjective + noun counted as “elementary school”

a school for young children; usually the first 6 or 8 grades

In this reading “Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.”

178 times in 225,867 chapters
dear child adjective + noun

In this reading “SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.”

10,582 times in 225,867 chapters
Of course preposition + noun

as might be expected

In this reading “Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.”

307,822 times in 225,867 chapters
grow up verb + adjective

become an adult

In this reading “SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.”

12,931 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 64

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.

11

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

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

Pending verification
9

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

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

Pending verification
AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A policeman passes.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
agedadjectiveUS /eɪdʒd/

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bobbynounUS /ˈbɑːbi/

an informal term for a British policeman

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
child-mind

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

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

Pending verification
childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
compositionnounUS /ˌkɑːmpəˈzɪʃən/

the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
conspicuouslyadverbUS /kənˈspɪkjuːəsli/

in a manner tending to attract attention

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
curiousadjectiveUS /ˈkjʊriəs/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
elementaryadjectiveUS /ˌeləˈmentri/

easy and not involved or complicated

From this reading Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
essaysnounUS /eˈseɪz/

plural of “essay” — an analytic or interpretive literary composition

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
feetnounUS /fiːt/

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

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
growverbUS /ɡroʊ/

pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HANDnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading "I NOW TAKE MY PEN IN HAND."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I NOW TAKE MY PEN IN HAND."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
illustratedverbUS /ˈɪləstreɪtəd/

past form of “illustrate” — clarify by giving an example of

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "I NOW TAKE MY PEN IN HAND."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
limitedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪmətəd/

small in range or scope

From this reading Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MAJORadjectiveUS /ˈmeɪdʒər/

of greater importance or stature or rank

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MINORadjectiveUS /ˈmaɪnər/

of lesser importance or stature or rank

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MYdeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "I NOW TAKE MY PEN IN HAND."

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
NOWadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading "I NOW TAKE MY PEN IN HAND."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nowherenounUS /ˈnoʊwer/

an insignificant place

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
passesnounUS /ˈpæsəz/

plural of “pass” — (baseball) an advance to first base by a batter who receives four balls

From this reading A policeman passes.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PENnounUS /pen/

a writing implement with a point from which ink flows

From this reading "I NOW TAKE MY PEN IN HAND."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
piecesnounUS /ˈpiːsəz/

plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
policemannounUS /pəˈliːsmən/

a member of a police force

From this reading A policeman passes.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pooreradjectiveUS /ˈpuːrər/

comparative of “poor” — deserving or inciting pity

From this reading Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
possessverbUS /pəˈzes/

have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill

From this reading Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
primitiveadjectiveUS /ˈprɪmətɪv/

belonging to an early stage of technical development; characterized by simplicity and (often) crudeness

From this reading Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
schoolsnounUS /skuːlz/

plural of “school” — an educational institution

From this reading Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
SMITHnounUS /smɪθ/

Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TAKEverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading "I NOW TAKE MY PEN IN HAND."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
vocabularynounUS /voʊˈkæbjəleri/

a listing of the words used in some enterprise

From this reading Of course many of the children in the poorer elementary schools possess only a very limited and very primitive vocabulary.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading SMITH MINOR, aged 9: "_I shall be a bobby when I grow up!_" SMITH MAJOR, aged 11: "_No! my dear child.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
workingsnounUS /ˈwɜːrkɪŋz/

the internal mechanism of a device

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
writeverbUS /raɪt/

produce a literary work

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
You'll

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

From this reading You'll never have the feet for it!_" The curious workings of the child-mind are nowhere more conspicuously illustrated than in the little essays and "pieces of composition" which they are set to write.

Pending verification

Chapter 4 of School-Room Humour by T. J. (Thomas James) Macnamara holds 334 sentences, grouped into 67 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.

What does chapter 4 of School-Room Humour contain?

Chapter 4 holds 334 sentences of School-Room Humour, unabridged, divided into 67 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of School-Room Humour by T. J. (Thomas James) Macnamara exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 334 sentences, grouped into 67 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 School-Room Humour?

Work through the 67 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 67 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 School-Room Humour

Common questions about reading School-Room Humour by T. J. (Thomas James) Macnamara on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of School-Room Humour?

Yes. All 1371 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #40593 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of School-Room Humour is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #40593, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does School-Room Humour take to read?

About 114 minutes of reading across 275 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read School-Room Humour section by section

How to work through School-Room Humour section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in School-Room Humour

Words and structures a reader meets early in School-Room Humour, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

School-room
A word that appears in the opening chapter of School-Room Humour; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Humour
A word that appears in the opening chapter of School-Room Humour; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Macnamara
A word that appears in the opening chapter of School-Room Humour; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Desires
A word that appears in the opening chapter of School-Room Humour; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.