Chapter 4 of Sleeping Fires: a Novel is here in full — 426 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Sleeping Fires: a Novel is here in full — 426 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"That is no comparison," she said scornfully. "When the body is whole nothing is impossible. I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity. I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman." "Oh, I should never fear for you," he said bitterly.
Chapter 4 of Sleeping Fires: a Novel is here in full — 426 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/85 · 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.
Difficulties; misfortune and hardship faced with courage.
From this reading “I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.”
with bitterness; in a resentful manner
From this reading “"Oh, I should never fear for you," he said bitterly.”
the act of examining resemblances
From this reading “"That is no comparison," she said scornfully.”
form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading “I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."”
property that is leased or rented out or let
From this reading “I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."”
without much difficulty
From this reading “I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."”
-ing form of “reel” — walk as if unable to control one's movements
From this reading “I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.”
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading “I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."
Difficulties; misfortune and hardship faced with courage.
From this reading I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.
with bitterness; in a resentful manner
From this reading "Oh, I should never fear for you," he said bitterly.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading "When the body is whole nothing is impossible.
the act of examining resemblances
From this reading "That is no comparison," she said scornfully.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading "Oh, I should never fear for you," he said bitterly.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Oh, I should never fear for you," he said bitterly.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Oh, I should never fear for you," he said bitterly.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.
form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading "When the body is whole nothing is impossible.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "That is no comparison," she said scornfully.
property that is leased or rented out or let
From this reading I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "Oh, I should never fear for you," he said bitterly.
not any; not one
From this reading "That is no comparison," she said scornfully.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading "When the body is whole nothing is impossible.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, I should never fear for you," he said bitterly.
and nothing more
From this reading I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."
without much difficulty
From this reading I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."
-ing form of “reel” — walk as if unable to control one's movements
From this reading I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "That is no comparison," she said scornfully.
cut with a saw
From this reading I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.
without respect; in a disdainful manner
From this reading "That is no comparison," she said scornfully.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "That is no comparison," she said scornfully.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "That is no comparison," she said scornfully.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "When the body is whole nothing is impossible.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.
at the time that
From this reading "When the body is whole nothing is impossible.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading "When the body is whole nothing is impossible.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading I could as readily imagine myself letting go, and I am only a woman."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I should feel that the Universe was reeling if I saw you go down before adversity.
Chapter 4 of Sleeping Fires: a Novel by Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton holds 426 sentences, grouped into 86 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 426 sentences of Sleeping Fires: a Novel, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Sleeping Fires: a Novel by Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 426 sentences, grouped into 86 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 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 86 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 Sleeping Fires: a Novel by Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3713 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6884 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #6884, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 309 minutes of reading across 743 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Sleeping Fires: a Novel section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 9 chapters of Sleeping Fires: a Novel 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 Sleeping Fires: a Novel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
