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The Librarian at Play
The Librarian at Play

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Librarian at Play is here in full — 453 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Librarian at Play
Context Illustration Reading 1/90 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Well, you better cut all that out about the street.
You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.
It doesn't make a hit, anyhow.
They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.
They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.
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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.

The Librarian at Play

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Librarian at Play is here in full — 453 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/90 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Well, you better cut all that out about the street.
/wel juː ˈbetər kʌt ɔːl ðæt aʊt əˈbaʊt ðə striːt/
Line 2
You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.
/juː maɪt ɡet mɪkst əˈɡen ənd pʊt ɪt ˈpʊdɪŋ leɪn/
Line 3
It doesn't make a hit, anyhow.
Line 4
They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.
/ðeɪ wʊd ˈræðər hæv sʌm druːl əˈbaʊt hɪz ˈɪnfluːəns ɑːn ˈlɪtərətʃər ɔːr ˈsʌmθɪŋ ʌv ðæt sɔːrt/
Line 5
They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

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.

contrast noun US /ˈkɑːntræst/

the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared

From this reading “They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.”

describe verb US /dɪˈskraɪb/

give a description of

From this reading “They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.”

drool noun US /druːl/

pretentious or silly talk or writing

From this reading “They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.”

goods noun US /ɡʊdz/

plural of “good” — benefit

From this reading “They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.”

literature noun US /ˈlɪtərətʃər/

creative writing of recognized artistic value

From this reading “They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.”

mixed adjective US /mɪkst/

consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds

From this reading “You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.”

Presbyterians noun US /ˌpresbɪˈtɪriənz/

plural of “presbyterian” — a follower of Calvinism as taught in the Presbyterian Church

From this reading “They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.”

Pudding noun US /ˈpʊdɪŋ/

any of various soft thick unsweetened baked dishes

From this reading “You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.”

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.

get mixed verb + adjective

In this reading “You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.”

All words in this reading · 56

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 It doesn't make a hit, anyhow.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading "Well, you better cut all that out about the street.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading "Well, you better cut all that out about the street.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.

anyhowadverbUS /ˈenihaʊ/

used to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous statement

From this reading It doesn't make a hit, anyhow.

askverbUS /æsk/

make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

attitudenounUS /ˈætətuːd/

a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading "Well, you better cut all that out about the street.

contrastnounUS /ˈkɑːntræst/

the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

cutverbUS /kʌt/

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading "Well, you better cut all that out about the street.

describeverbUS /dɪˈskraɪb/

give a description of

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

doesn't

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

From this reading It doesn't make a hit, anyhow.

droolnounUS /druːl/

pretentious or silly talk or writing

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.

goodsnounUS /ɡʊdz/

plural of “good” — benefit

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

hitverbUS /hɪt/

cause to move by striking

From this reading It doesn't make a hit, anyhow.

I'm

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

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

IlnounUS /ɪl/

a midwestern state in north-central United States

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

influencenounUS /ˈɪnfluːəns/

a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.

L'Allegro

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

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

LanenounUS /leɪn/

a narrow way or road

From this reading You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.

literaturenounUS /ˈlɪtərətʃər/

creative writing of recognized artistic value

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading It doesn't make a hit, anyhow.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.

mixedadjectiveUS /mɪkst/

consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds

From this reading You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading "Well, you better cut all that out about the street.

Penseroso

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

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

PresbyteriansnounUS /ˌpresbɪˈtɪriənz/

plural of “presbyterian” — a follower of Calvinism as taught in the Presbyterian Church

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

probablyadverbUS /ˈprɑːbəbliː/

with considerable certainty; without much doubt

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

PuddingnounUS /ˈpʊdɪŋ/

any of various soft thick unsweetened baked dishes

From this reading You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading You might get mixed again, and put it Pudding Lane.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

streetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading "Well, you better cut all that out about the street.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "Well, you better cut all that out about the street.

That's

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

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Well, you better cut all that out about the street.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

They'll

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

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

WelladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading "Well, you better cut all that out about the street.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading They'll probably ask you to contrast 'L'Allegro' with 'Il Penseroso,' or describe his attitude toward the Presbyterians, or--" "That's all right--I'm there with the goods.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading They would rather have some drool about his influence on literature, or something of that sort.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Well, you better cut all that out about the street.

Chapter 4 of The Librarian at Play by Edmund Lester Pearson holds 453 sentences, grouped into 91 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 Librarian at Play contain?

Chapter 4 holds 453 sentences of The Librarian at Play, unabridged, divided into 91 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Librarian at Play by Edmund Lester Pearson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 453 sentences, grouped into 91 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 Librarian at Play?

Work through the 91 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 91 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 Librarian at Play

Common questions about reading The Librarian at Play by Edmund Lester Pearson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Librarian at Play?

Yes. All 2680 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #46933 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Librarian at Play is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #46933, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Librarian at Play take to read?

About 223 minutes of reading across 536 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Librarian at Play section by section

How to work through The Librarian at Play section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 6 chapters of The Librarian at Play 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 Librarian at Play

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Librarian at Play, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Published
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Librarian at Play; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
November
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Librarian at Play; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Second
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Librarian at Play; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Printing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Librarian at Play; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.