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The Gland Stealers
The Gland Stealers

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Gland Stealers is here in full — 446 sentences across 90 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Bertram Gayton • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Gland Stealers
Context Illustration Reading 1/89 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.
I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.
I introduced myself and Gran'pa and got down to business at once.
"We've procured a gorilla," I said.
"A fine, strapping brute of phenomenal strength and activity.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Gland Stealers

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Gland Stealers is here in full — 446 sentences across 90 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/89 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.
Line 2
I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.
/aɪ hæd ɪkˈspektəd tuː siː ə mæn ʌv ˈeniθɪŋ frʌm ˈfɔːrtifaɪv tuː ˈsɪksti bʌt wiː wɜːr ˈɡriːtəd ˌɪnˈsted baɪ ə mɪr ˈjʌŋstər ʌv əˈbaʊt ˈtwentifaɪv ɔːr sɪks/
Line 3
I introduced myself and Gran'pa and got down to business at once.
Line 4
"We've procured a gorilla," I said.
Line 5
"A fine, strapping brute of phenomenal strength and activity.
/ə faɪn ˈstræpɪŋ bruːt ʌv fəˈnɑːmənəl streŋkθ ənd ækˈtɪvəti/

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.

Croft noun US /krɔːft/

a small farm worked by a crofter

From this reading “THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forty-five noun US /ˈfɔːrtifaɪv/

a .45-caliber pistol

From this reading “I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gorilla noun US /ɡərˈɪlə/

largest anthropoid ape; terrestrial and vegetarian; of forests of central west Africa

From this reading “THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
monkey noun US /ˈmʌŋki/

any of various long-tailed primates (excluding the prosimians)

From this reading “THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
phenomenal adjective US /fəˈnɑːmənəl/

of or relating to a phenomenon

From this reading “"A fine, strapping brute of phenomenal strength and activity.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
procured verb US /proʊˈkjʊrd/

past form of “procure” — get by special effort

From this reading “"We've procured a gorilla," I said.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
strapping adjective US /ˈstræpɪŋ/

muscular and heavily built

From this reading “"A fine, strapping brute of phenomenal strength and activity.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
youngster noun US /ˈjʌŋstər/

a young person of either sex

From this reading “I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

next day adjective + noun

In this reading “THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.”

60,103 times in 426,211 chapters
at once preposition + adverb

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

In this reading “I introduced myself and Gran'pa and got down to business at once.”

257,448 times in 426,211 chapters
bring about verb + particle

cause to move into the opposite direction

In this reading “THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.”

8,950 times in 426,211 chapters
got down verb + adjective counted as “get down”

lower (one's body) as by kneeling

In this reading “I introduced myself and Gran'pa and got down to business at once.”

11,727 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 65

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.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
activitynounUS /ækˈtɪvəti/

any specific behavior

From this reading "A fine, strapping brute of phenomenal strength and activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AlfrednounUS /ˈælfrəd/

king of Wessex; defeated the Vikings and encouraged writing in English (849-899)

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading I introduced myself and Gran'pa and got down to business at once.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AVENUEnounUS /ˈævənuː/

a line of approach

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bringverbUS /brɪŋ/

take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
brutenounUS /bruːt/

a cruelly rapacious person

From this reading "A fine, strapping brute of phenomenal strength and activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading I introduced myself and Gran'pa and got down to business at once.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
chosennounUS /ˈtʃoʊzən/

one who is the object of choice; who is given preference

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CroftnounUS /krɔːft/

a small farm worked by a crofter

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading I introduced myself and Gran'pa and got down to business at once.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Dr

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

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Pending verification
expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading "A fine, strapping brute of phenomenal strength and activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forty-fivenounUS /ˈfɔːrtifaɪv/

a .45-caliber pistol

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
gorillanounUS /ɡərˈɪlə/

largest anthropoid ape; terrestrial and vegetarian; of forests of central west Africa

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading I introduced myself and Gran'pa and got down to business at once.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Gran'pa

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

From this reading I introduced myself and Gran'pa and got down to business at once.

Pending verification
greetedverbUS /ˈɡriːtəd/

past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HASauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hastily-arranged

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

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Pending verification
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
insteadadverbUS /ˌɪnˈsted/

in place of, or as an alternative to

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
introducedverbUS /ˌɪntrəˈduːst/

past form of “introduce” — cause to come to know personally

From this reading I introduced myself and Gran'pa and got down to business at once.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mereadjectiveUS /mɪr/

being nothing more than specified

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
monkeynounUS /ˈmʌŋki/

any of various long-tailed primates (excluding the prosimians)

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading I introduced myself and Gran'pa and got down to business at once.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading I introduced myself and Gran'pa and got down to business at once.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
phenomenaladjectiveUS /fəˈnɑːmənəl/

of or relating to a phenomenon

From this reading "A fine, strapping brute of phenomenal strength and activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
procuredverbUS /proʊˈkjʊrd/

past form of “procure” — get by special effort

From this reading "We've procured a gorilla," I said.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
purchasenounUS /ˈpɜːrtʃəs/

the acquisition of something for payment

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "We've procured a gorilla," I said.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sixnounUS /sɪks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sixtyadjectiveUS /ˈsɪksti/

being ten more than fifty

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
strappingadjectiveUS /ˈstræpɪŋ/

muscular and heavily built

From this reading "A fine, strapping brute of phenomenal strength and activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
strengthnounUS /streŋkθ/

the property of being physically or mentally strong

From this reading "A fine, strapping brute of phenomenal strength and activity.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
surgeonnounUS /ˈsɜːrdʒən/

a physician who specializes in surgery

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SURPRISEnounUS /sərˈpraɪz/

the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

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 THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
twenty-fiveadjectiveUS /ˈtwentifaɪv/

being five more than twenty

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
unionnounUS /ˈjuːnjən/

an organization of employees formed to bargain with the employer

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
We've

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

From this reading "We've procured a gorilla," I said.

Pending verification
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE After the hastily-arranged purchase of Alfred, the gorilla, we called next day to see Dr. Croft, the surgeon, who had been chosen to bring about the strange union of man and part monkey.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
youngsternounUS /ˈjʌŋstər/

a young person of either sex

From this reading I had expected to see a man of anything from forty-five to sixty, but we were greeted, instead, by a mere youngster of about twenty-five or six.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 4 of The Gland Stealers by Bertram Gayton holds 446 sentences, grouped into 90 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 Gland Stealers contain?

Chapter 4 holds 446 sentences of The Gland Stealers, unabridged, divided into 90 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Gland Stealers by Bertram Gayton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 446 sentences, grouped into 90 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 Gland Stealers?

Work through the 90 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 90 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 Gland Stealers

Common questions about reading The Gland Stealers by Bertram Gayton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Gland Stealers?

Yes. All 7504 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #48975 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Gland Stealers is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #48975, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Gland Stealers take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1501 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Gland Stealers section by section

How to work through The Gland Stealers section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 17 chapters of The Gland Stealers 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 The Gland Stealers

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Gland Stealers, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Gran'pa
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gland Stealers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ninety-five
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gland Stealers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Possessed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gland Stealers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fertile
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gland Stealers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.