Chapter 4 of The Duke's Prize is here in full — 106 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of The Duke's Prize is here in full — 106 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE DUKE'S PRIZE. I see this hath a little dashed your spirits. -Othello. CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts. His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
Chapter 4 of The Duke's Prize is here in full — 106 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/21 · 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.
possessive form of “duke” — a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading “THE DUKE'S PRIZE.”
small in range or scope
From this reading “His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.”
plural of “open” — a clear or unobstructed space or expanse of land or water
From this reading “His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.”
the hero of William Shakespeare's tragedy who would not trust his wife
From this reading “-Othello.”
with passion
From this reading “CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.”
relating to or involving money
From this reading “His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.”
not having enough money to pay for necessities
From this reading “His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.”
to a remarkable degree or extent
From this reading “His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.”
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 see this hath a little dashed your spirits.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
studies intended to provide general knowledge and intellectual skills (rather than occupational or professional skills)
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
having gaps or spaces
From this reading I see this hath a little dashed your spirits.
zealous in devotion or affection
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
possessive form of “duke” — a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading THE DUKE'S PRIZE.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
a city in central Italy on the Arno; provincial capital of Tuscany; center of the Italian Renaissance from 14th to 16th centuries
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
an old form of “has”
From this reading I see this hath a little dashed your spirits.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I see this hath a little dashed your spirits.
small in range or scope
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading I see this hath a little dashed your spirits.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
plural of “open” — a clear or unobstructed space or expanse of land or water
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
the hero of William Shakespeare's tragedy who would not trust his wife
From this reading -Othello.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
with passion
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
relating to or involving money
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
not having enough money to pay for necessities
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
something given for victory or superiority in a contest or competition or for winning a lottery
From this reading THE DUKE'S PRIZE.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading I see this hath a little dashed your spirits.
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading I see this hath a little dashed your spirits.
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 His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
reading carefully with intent to remember
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DUKE'S PRIZE.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading I see this hath a little dashed your spirits.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
to a remarkable degree or extent
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading His pecuniary means, which were of a limited character, were, at the time our story opens, at an unusually low ebb-indeed, he was almost penniless.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading CARLTON was a young American, passionately devoted to the art he was studying at Florence, the home of the arts.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I see this hath a little dashed your spirits.
Chapter 4 of The Duke's Prize by Maturin M. (Maturin Murray) Ballou holds 106 sentences, grouped into 22 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 106 sentences of The Duke's Prize, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of The Duke's Prize by Maturin M. (Maturin Murray) Ballou exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 106 sentences, grouped into 22 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 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 22 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 The Duke's Prize by Maturin M. (Maturin Murray) Ballou on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3268 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4956 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #4956, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 272 minutes of reading across 654 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Duke's Prize section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 22 chapters of The Duke's Prize 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 The Duke's Prize, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
