Chapter IV
Chapter 4
Chapter 4 of The Old Bachelor: A Comedy is here in full — 252 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
SHARP. What in the name of wonder is it? BELL. Why, a fool. SHARP.
The Old Bachelor: A Comedy
Chapter IV · Chapter 4
Chapter 4 of The Old Bachelor: A Comedy is here in full — 252 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
SHARP.
What
in
the
name
of
wonder
is
it?
BELL.
Why,
a
fool.
SHARP.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
The Old Bachelor: A Comedy
Chapter IV · Chapter 4
Chapter 4 of The Old Bachelor: A Comedy is here in full — 252 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/50 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
Line 1
SHARP.
/ʃɑːrp/
Line 2
What
in
the
name
of
wonder
is
it?
/wʌt ɪn ðə neɪm ʌv ˈwʌndər ɪz ɪt/
Line 3
BELL.
/bel/
Line 4
Why,
a
fool.
/waɪ ə fuːl/
Line 5
SHARP.
/ʃɑːrp/
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.
bell
noun
US /bel/
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading “BELL.”
fool
noun
US /fuːl/
a person who lacks good judgment
From this reading “Why, a fool.”
name
verb
US /neɪm/
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading “What in the name of wonder is it?”
sharp
adjective
US /ʃɑːrp/
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading “SHARP.”
wonder
noun
US /ˈwʌndər/
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading “What in the name of wonder is it?”
All words in this reading · 13
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 Why, a fool.
BELLnounUS /bel/
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading BELL.
foolnounUS /fuːl/
a person who lacks good judgment
From this reading Why, a fool.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading What in the name of wonder is it?
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What in the name of wonder is it?
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading What in the name of wonder is it?
nameverbUS /neɪm/
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading What in the name of wonder is it?
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading What in the name of wonder is it?
SHARPadjectiveUS /ʃɑːrp/
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading SHARP.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading What in the name of wonder is it?
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What in the name of wonder is it?
WhynounUS /waɪ/
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why, a fool.
wondernounUS /ˈwʌndər/
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading What in the name of wonder is it?
Chapter 4 of The Old Bachelor: A Comedy by William Congreve holds 252 sentences, grouped into 51 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.
What does chapter 4 of The Old Bachelor: A Comedy contain?
Chapter 4 holds 252 sentences of The Old Bachelor: A Comedy, unabridged, divided into 51 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of The Old Bachelor: A Comedy by William Congreve exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 252 sentences, grouped into 51 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 Old Bachelor: A Comedy?
Work through the 51 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 51 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 Old Bachelor: A Comedy
Common questions about reading The Old Bachelor: A Comedy by William Congreve on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Is this the complete text of The Old Bachelor: A Comedy?
Yes. All 1579 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1192 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Which edition of The Old Bachelor: A Comedy is used?
Project Gutenberg eBook #1192, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
How long does The Old Bachelor: A Comedy take to read?
About 131 minutes of reading across 316 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to read The Old Bachelor: A Comedy section by section
How to work through The Old Bachelor: A Comedy section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
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Open a chapter
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Vocabulary met early in The Old Bachelor: A Comedy
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Old Bachelor: A Comedy, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
- Repeating
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Old Bachelor: A Comedy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Known
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Old Bachelor: A Comedy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Facts
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Old Bachelor: A Comedy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Congreve
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Old Bachelor: A Comedy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.