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The Mother's Nursery Songs
The Mother's Nursery Songs

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Mother's Nursery Songs is here in full — 173 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE CLASS ROOM.
Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.
Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.
The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.
CREATION.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Mother's Nursery Songs

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Mother's Nursery Songs is here in full — 173 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE CLASS ROOM.
/ðə klæs ruːm/
Line 2
Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.
Line 3
Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.
/sʌtʃ sɔːŋz ʃʊd biː əˈsoʊsieɪtɪd wɪð ˈplezənt rɪˈmɑːrks ənd ˌɪləˈstreɪʃənz ənd əˈkeɪʒənəli wɪð sʌtʃ ˈsɪriz ʌv ˈkwestʃənz æz meɪ biː səˈdʒestɪd baɪ ðə ˈlæŋɡwədʒ wɪtʃ ɪz sʌŋ/
Line 4
The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.
/ðə sɔːŋz ɪn ðɪs dɪˈpɑːrtmənt ɑːr əˈdæptɪd tuː ˈtʃɪldrən huː hæv pæst ðə ˈpɪriəd ʌv ˈprætlɪŋ ˈɪnfənsi/
Line 5
CREATION.
/kriˈeɪʃən/

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.

adapted adjective US /əˈdæptɪd/

changed in order to improve or made more fit for a particular purpose

From this reading “The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.”

adults noun US /əˈdʌlts/

plural of “adult” — a fully developed person from maturity onward

From this reading “Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.”

associated verb US /əˈsoʊsieɪtɪd/

past form of “associate” — make a logical or causal connection

From this reading “Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.”

creation noun US /kriˈeɪʃən/

the human act of creating

From this reading “CREATION.”

exceptions noun US /ɪkˈsepʃənz/

plural of “exception” — a deliberate act of omission

From this reading “Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.”

infancy noun US /ˈɪnfənsi/

the early stage of growth or development

From this reading “The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.”

instruction noun US /ˌɪnˈstrʌkʃən/

a message describing how something is to be done

From this reading “Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.”

prattling verb US /ˈprætlɪŋ/

-ing form of “prattle” — speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly

From this reading “The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.”

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.

most interesting adverb + adjective

In this reading “Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.”

associated with verb + particle counted as “associate with”

In this reading “Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.”

with regard preposition + noun

In this reading “Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.”

suggested by verb + particle counted as “suggest by”

In this reading “Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.”

in reference preposition + noun

In this reading “Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.”

young children adjective + noun counted as “young child”

In this reading “Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.”

in regard preposition + noun

In this reading “Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.”

All words in this reading · 62

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.

adaptedadjectiveUS /əˈdæptɪd/

changed in order to improve or made more fit for a particular purpose

From this reading The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.

adultsnounUS /əˈdʌlts/

plural of “adult” — a fully developed person from maturity onward

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

applyverbUS /əˈplaɪ/

put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

associatedverbUS /əˈsoʊsieɪtɪd/

past form of “associate” — make a logical or causal connection

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

CLASSnounUS /klæs/

a collection of things sharing a common attribute

From this reading THE CLASS ROOM.

CREATIONnounUS /kriˈeɪʃən/

the human act of creating

From this reading CREATION.

departmentnounUS /dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/

a specialized division of a large organization

From this reading The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

exceptionsnounUS /ɪkˈsepʃənz/

plural of “exception” — a deliberate act of omission

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.

illustrationsnounUS /ˌɪləˈstreɪʃənz/

plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

infancynounUS /ˈɪnfənsi/

the early stage of growth or development

From this reading The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.

instructionnounUS /ˌɪnˈstrʌkʃən/

a message describing how something is to be done

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

interestingadjectiveUS /ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/

arousing or holding the attention

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

languagenounUS /ˈlæŋɡwədʒ/

a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

occasionaladjectiveUS /əˈkeɪʒənəl/

occurring from time to time

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

occasionallyadverbUS /əˈkeɪʒənəli/

sporadically and infrequently

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.

periodnounUS /ˈpɪriəd/

an amount of time

From this reading The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.

pleasantadjectiveUS /ˈplezənt/

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

prattlingverbUS /ˈprætlɪŋ/

-ing form of “prattle” — speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly

From this reading The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.

questionsnounUS /ˈkwestʃənz/

plural of “question” — an instance of questioning

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

referencenounUS /ˈrefərəns/

a remark that calls attention to something or someone

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

regardnounUS /rɪˈɡɑːrd/

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

remarknounUS /rɪˈmɑːrk/

a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

remarksnounUS /rɪˈmɑːrks/

plural of “remark” — a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

ROOMnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading THE CLASS ROOM.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

seriesnounUS /ˈsɪriz/

similar things placed in order or happening one after another

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

SongsnounUS /sɔːŋz/

plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

strictnessnoun

conscientious attention to rules and details

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

SuchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

suggestedverbUS /səˈdʒestɪd/

past form of “suggest” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

sungnounUS /sʌŋ/

the imperial dynasty of China from 960 to 1279; noted for art and literature and philosophy

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

tasteverbUS /teɪst/

To perceive flavor through the mouth.

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE CLASS ROOM.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults.

Chapter 4 of The Mother's Nursery Songs by Thomas Hastings holds 173 sentences, grouped into 35 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 Mother's Nursery Songs contain?

Chapter 4 holds 173 sentences of The Mother's Nursery Songs, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Mother's Nursery Songs by Thomas Hastings exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 173 sentences, grouped into 35 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 Mother's Nursery Songs?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 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 Mother's Nursery Songs

Common questions about reading The Mother's Nursery Songs by Thomas Hastings on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Mother's Nursery Songs?

Yes. All 554 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #42612 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Mother's Nursery Songs is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #42612, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Mother's Nursery Songs take to read?

About 46 minutes of reading across 111 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through The Mother's Nursery Songs section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in The Mother's Nursery Songs

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Mother's Nursery Songs, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Mother's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mother's Nursery Songs; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Nursery
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mother's Nursery Songs; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Songs
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mother's Nursery Songs; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mother's Nursery Songs; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.