Chapter IV
Chapter 4
Chapter 4 of The Darling and Other Stories is here in full — 397 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"How do you mean? I can't help it.
The Darling and Other Stories
Chapter IV · Chapter 4
Chapter 4 of The Darling and Other Stories is here in full — 397 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
"How
do
you
mean?
I
can't
help
it.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
The Darling and Other Stories
Chapter IV · Chapter 4
Chapter 4 of The Darling and Other Stories is here in full — 397 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/79 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
Line 1
"How
do
you
mean?
Line 2
I
can't
help
it.
Line 3
Line 4
Line 5
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.
help
verb
US /help/
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading “I can't help it.”
mean
verb
US /miːn/
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading “"How do you mean?”
All words in this reading · 8
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.
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I can't help it.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "How do you mean?
helpverbUS /help/
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading I can't help it.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "How do you mean?
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I can't help it.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I can't help it.
meanverbUS /miːn/
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading "How do you mean?
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "How do you mean?
Chapter 4 of The Darling and Other Stories by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov holds 397 sentences, grouped into 80 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 The Darling and Other Stories contain?
Chapter 4 holds 397 sentences of The Darling and Other Stories, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of The Darling and Other Stories by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 397 sentences, grouped into 80 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 The Darling and Other Stories?
Work through the 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 80 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 The Darling and Other Stories
Common questions about reading The Darling and Other Stories by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Is this the complete text of The Darling and Other Stories?
Yes. All 4856 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13416 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Which edition of The Darling and Other Stories is used?
Project Gutenberg eBook #13416, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
How long does The Darling and Other Stories take to read?
About 404 minutes of reading across 972 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to read The Darling and Other Stories section by section
How to work through The Darling and Other Stories section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
-
Open a chapter
Choose one of the 12 chapters of The Darling and Other Stories to begin.
-
Read one section
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
-
Listen and tap
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Vocabulary met early in The Darling and Other Stories
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Darling and Other Stories, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
- Olenka
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Darling and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Daughter
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Darling and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Retired
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Darling and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Collegiate
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Darling and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.