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Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's
Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's is here in full — 135 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Laura Lee Hope • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.
It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.
"I'll go and see who it is," offered Russ.
"And please don't tell any of the story until I come back," he begged.
"I won't," promised Uncle Fred.
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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.

Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's is here in full — 135 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.
Line 2
It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.
Line 3
"I'll go and see who it is," offered Russ.
Line 4
"And please don't tell any of the story until I come back," he begged.
Line 5
"I won't," promised Uncle Fred.

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.

begged verb US /beɡd/

inflected form of “beg” — call upon in supplication; entreat

From this reading “"And please don't tell any of the story until I come back," he begged.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Bunker noun US /ˈbʌŋkər/

a hazard on a golf course

From this reading “UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doorbell noun US /ˈdɔːrbel/

a push button at an outer door that gives a ringing or buzzing signal when pushed

From this reading “UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rang verb US /ræŋ/

inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously

From this reading “It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ringing noun US /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/

the sound of a bell ringing

From this reading “UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Russ noun US /rʌs/

plural of “rus” — the medieval Russian state established by Scandinavian traders in the 9th century; the capital was first in Novgorod and then in Kiev

From this reading “"I'll go and see who it is," offered Russ.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tinkle noun US /ˈtɪŋkəl/

a light clear metallic sound as of a small bell

From this reading “It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
unusual adjective US /əˈnjuːʒuːəl/

not usual or common or ordinary

From this reading “UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 50

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "I'll go and see who it is," offered Russ.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading "And please don't tell any of the story until I come back," he begged.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading "And please don't tell any of the story until I come back," he begged.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beggedverbUS /beɡd/

inflected form of “beg” — call upon in supplication; entreat

From this reading "And please don't tell any of the story until I come back," he begged.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BunkernounUS /ˈbʌŋkər/

a hazard on a golf course

From this reading UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

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

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading "And please don't tell any of the story until I come back," he begged.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
don't

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

From this reading "And please don't tell any of the story until I come back," he begged.

Pending verification
doorbellnounUS /ˈdɔːrbel/

a push button at an outer door that gives a ringing or buzzing signal when pushed

From this reading UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Fred

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

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

Pending verification
FRED'S

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

From this reading UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.

Pending verification
goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading "I'll go and see who it is," offered Russ.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "And please don't tell any of the story until I come back," he begged.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "And please don't tell any of the story until I come back," he begged.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
I'll

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

From this reading "I'll go and see who it is," offered Russ.

Pending verification
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "I'll go and see who it is," offered Russ.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.

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 It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
offeredverbUS /ˈɔːfərd/

past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish

From this reading "I'll go and see who it is," offered Russ.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pleaseverbUS /pliːz/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading "And please don't tell any of the story until I come back," he begged.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
promisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading "I won't," promised Uncle Fred.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rangverbUS /ræŋ/

inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ringingnounUS /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/

the sound of a bell ringing

From this reading UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
RussnounUS /rʌs/

plural of “rus” — the medieval Russian state established by Scandinavian traders in the 9th century; the capital was first in Novgorod and then in Kiev

From this reading "I'll go and see who it is," offered Russ.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading "I'll go and see who it is," offered Russ.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
storynounUS /ˈstɔːri/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
surprisedadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzd/

taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TALEnounUS /teɪl/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tinklenounUS /ˈtɪŋkəl/

a light clear metallic sound as of a small bell

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
UNCLEnounUS /ˈʌŋkəl/

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading "And please don't tell any of the story until I come back," he begged.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
unusualadjectiveUS /əˈnjuːʒuːəl/

not usual or common or ordinary

From this reading UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading UNCLE FRED'S TALE The ringing of the Bunker doorbell was not unusual.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading It often rang during the day, but just now, when Uncle Fred was about to tell his story, it rather surprised the children to hear the tinkle.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading "I'll go and see who it is," offered Russ.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
won't

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

From this reading "I won't," promised Uncle Fred.

Pending verification

Chapter 4 of Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's by Laura Lee Hope holds 135 sentences, grouped into 27 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 Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's contain?

Chapter 4 holds 135 sentences of Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's by Laura Lee Hope exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 135 sentences, grouped into 27 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 Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's?

Work through the 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 27 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 Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's

Common questions about reading Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's by Laura Lee Hope on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's?

Yes. All 3504 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20326 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #20326, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's take to read?

About 292 minutes of reading across 701 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's section by section

How to work through Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 25 chapters of Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's 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 Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's

Words and structures a reader meets early in Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Little
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bunkers
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cousin
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Six little Bunkers at Uncle Fred's; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.