Chapter 4 of Selina is here in full — 404 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Selina is here in full — 404 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that." Amanthus spoke here and almost crossly. "Mamma says the accustomed thing is nearly always the proper thing. She told me to remember that. I can't see why you're always hunting the unusual thing?
Chapter 4 of Selina is here in full — 404 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/80 · 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.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading “"Mamma says the accustomed thing is nearly always the proper thing.”
-ing form of “attempt” — make an effort or attempt
From this reading “"But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."”
state emphatically and authoritatively
From this reading “"But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."”
in a questionable and dubious manner
From this reading “"But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."”
past form of “hasten” — act or move at high speed
From this reading “"But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."”
the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport
From this reading “I can't see why you're always hunting the unusual thing?”
informal terms for a mother
From this reading “"Mamma says the accustomed thing is nearly always the proper thing.”
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading “I can't see why you're always hunting the unusual thing?”
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.
In this reading “I can't see why you're always hunting the unusual thing?”
In this reading “"Mamma says the accustomed thing is nearly always the proper thing.”
In this reading “I can't see why you're always hunting the unusual thing?”
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.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading "Mamma says the accustomed thing is nearly always the proper thing.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Amanthus spoke here and almost crossly.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading "Mamma says the accustomed thing is nearly always the proper thing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Amanthus spoke here and almost crossly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Amanthus spoke here and almost crossly.
any thing at all
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
-ing form of “attempt” — make an effort or attempt
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I can't see why you're always hunting the unusual thing?
in an ill-natured manner
From this reading Amanthus spoke here and almost crossly.
state emphatically and authoritatively
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
in a questionable and dubious manner
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
past form of “hasten” — act or move at high speed
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Amanthus spoke here and almost crossly.
the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport
From this reading I can't see why you're always hunting the unusual thing?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Mamma says the accustomed thing is nearly always the proper thing.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
informal terms for a mother
From this reading "Mamma says the accustomed thing is nearly always the proper thing.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She told me to remember that.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading "Mamma says the accustomed thing is nearly always the proper thing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness
From this reading "Mamma says the accustomed thing is nearly always the proper thing.
To recall to mind.
From this reading She told me to remember that.
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading "Mamma says the accustomed thing is nearly always the proper thing.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading I can't see why you're always hunting the unusual thing?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She told me to remember that.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading Amanthus spoke here and almost crossly.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Mamma says the accustomed thing is nearly always the proper thing.
a special situation
From this reading "Mamma says the accustomed thing is nearly always the proper thing.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading She told me to remember that.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading I can't see why you're always hunting the unusual thing?
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "But I do want it," Selina hastened to declare, "though," dubiously, "I hadn't thought of attempting anything like that."
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading I can't see why you're always hunting the unusual thing?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I can't see why you're always hunting the unusual thing?
Chapter 4 of Selina by George Madden Martin holds 404 sentences, grouped into 81 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 404 sentences of Selina, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Selina by George Madden Martin exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 404 sentences, grouped into 81 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 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 81 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 Selina by George Madden Martin on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5287 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #46292 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #46292, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 440 minutes of reading across 1058 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Selina section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 13 chapters of Selina 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 Selina, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
