Chapter 4 of The Mischief-Maker is here in full — 208 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of The Mischief-Maker is here in full — 208 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A BUNCH OF VIOLETS Kendricks rose slowly to his feet. Julien was looking toward the door with a frown upon his face. While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent. Julien hesitated no longer. "I think," Kendricks said dryly, "that you had better see who is there."
Chapter 4 of The Mischief-Maker is here in full — 208 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/41 · 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.
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading “A BUNCH OF VIOLETS Kendricks rose slowly to his feet.”
in a dry laconic manner
From this reading “"I think," Kendricks said dryly, "that you had better see who is there."”
look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading “Julien was looking toward the door with a frown upon his face.”
past form of “hesitate” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading “Julien hesitated no longer.”
repetitive and persistent
From this reading “While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.”
the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)
From this reading “While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.”
recurring again and again
From this reading “While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.”
plural of “violet” — any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers
From this reading “A BUNCH OF VIOLETS Kendricks rose slowly to his feet.”
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 A BUNCH OF VIOLETS Kendricks rose slowly to his feet.
(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 "I think," Kendricks said dryly, "that you had better see who is there."
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading A BUNCH OF VIOLETS Kendricks rose slowly to his feet.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Julien was looking toward the door with a frown upon his face.
in a dry laconic manner
From this reading "I think," Kendricks said dryly, "that you had better see who is there."
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Julien was looking toward the door with a frown upon his face.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading A BUNCH OF VIOLETS Kendricks rose slowly to his feet.
look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading Julien was looking toward the door with a frown upon his face.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "I think," Kendricks said dryly, "that you had better see who is there."
past form of “hesitate” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading Julien hesitated no longer.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A BUNCH OF VIOLETS Kendricks rose slowly to his feet.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I think," Kendricks said dryly, "that you had better see who is there."
repetitive and persistent
From this reading While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I think," Kendricks said dryly, "that you had better see who is there."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Julien was looking toward the door with a frown upon his face.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A BUNCH OF VIOLETS Kendricks rose slowly to his feet.
the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)
From this reading While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.
for more time
From this reading Julien hesitated no longer.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Julien was looking toward the door with a frown upon his face.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.
not any; not one
From this reading Julien hesitated no longer.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A BUNCH OF VIOLETS Kendricks rose slowly to his feet.
recurring again and again
From this reading While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading A BUNCH OF VIOLETS Kendricks rose slowly to his feet.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I think," Kendricks said dryly, "that you had better see who is there."
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "I think," Kendricks said dryly, "that you had better see who is there."
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading A BUNCH OF VIOLETS Kendricks rose slowly to his feet.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.
not in physical motion
From this reading While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I think," Kendricks said dryly, "that you had better see who is there."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Julien was looking toward the door with a frown upon his face.
in or at that place or location
From this reading While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I think," Kendricks said dryly, "that you had better see who is there."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A BUNCH OF VIOLETS Kendricks rose slowly to his feet.
in the direction of
From this reading Julien was looking toward the door with a frown upon his face.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Julien was looking toward the door with a frown upon his face.
plural of “violet” — any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers
From this reading A BUNCH OF VIOLETS Kendricks rose slowly to his feet.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Julien was looking toward the door with a frown upon his face.
during the time that
From this reading While they stood there the knocking was repeated, still soft but a little more insistent.
which person or people
From this reading "I think," Kendricks said dryly, "that you had better see who is there."
in the company of; together with
From this reading Julien was looking toward the door with a frown upon his face.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I think," Kendricks said dryly, "that you had better see who is there."
Chapter 4 of The Mischief-Maker by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim holds 208 sentences, grouped into 42 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 208 sentences of The Mischief-Maker, unabridged, divided into 42 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of The Mischief-Maker by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 208 sentences, grouped into 42 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 42 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 42 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 Mischief-Maker by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 8294 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8878 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #8878, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1659 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Mischief-Maker section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 39 chapters of The Mischief-Maker 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 Mischief-Maker, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
