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The Regent
The Regent

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The Regent is here in full — 567 sentences across 114 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/113 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.
This enclosure was already crowded with some three hundred people, sitting and standing.
Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.
When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.
After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.
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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 Regent

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The Regent is here in full — 567 sentences across 114 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/113 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.
Line 2
This enclosure was already crowded with some three hundred people, sitting and standing.
/ðɪs enˈkloʊʒər wɑːz ɔːlˈredi ˈkraʊdəd wɪð sʌm θriː ˈhʌndrəd ˈpiːpəl ˈsɪtɪŋ ənd ˈstændɪŋ/
Line 3
Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.
/ˈedwərd ˈhenri hæd stʊd ɪn ðə ˈoʊnli əˈnɑːkjəpaɪd spɑːt hiː kʊd faɪnd bɪˈhaɪnd ə ˈpɪlər/
Line 4
When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.
/wen hiː hæd meɪd hɪmˈself æz ˈkʌmfərtəbəl æz ˈpɑːsəbəl baɪ ˈtɜːrnɪŋ ʌp hɪz ˈkɑːlər əˈɡenst ðə ʃɑːrp wɪndz ðæt kənˈtɪnjuːəli ˈentərd frʌm ðə striːt hiː hæd pɪrd ˈfɔːrwərd ənd siːn ɪn frʌnt ʌv hɪz enˈkloʊʒər əˈnʌðər ənd ˈlɑːrdʒər enˈkloʊʒər ˈɔːlsoʊ ˈkraʊdəd wɪð ˈpiːpəl bʌt mɔːr ɪkˈspensɪv ˈpiːpəl/
Line 5
After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.
/ˈæftər ə blæŋk ˈɪntərvəl ʌv ˈθɜːrdiː ˈmɪnəts ə bænd hæd bɪˈɡʌn tuː pleɪ æt æn ˌɪnˈkredəbəl ˈdɪstəns ɪn frʌnt ʌv hɪm ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃɪŋ ðə ˈnɔɪzɪz ʌv ˈtræfɪk ɪn ðə striːt/

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.

enclosure noun US /enˈkloʊʒər/

a structure consisting of an area that has been enclosed for some purpose

From this reading “ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.”

entry noun US /ˈentri/

an item inserted in a written record

From this reading “ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.”

extinguishing noun US /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃɪŋ/

the act of extinguishing; causing to stop burning

From this reading “After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.”

noises noun US /ˈnɔɪzɪz/

plural of “noise” — sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading “After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.”

pillar noun US /ˈpɪlər/

a fundamental principle or practice

From this reading “Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.”

theatrical adjective US /θiˈætrɪkəl/

of or relating to the theater

From this reading “ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.”

traffic noun US /ˈtræfɪk/

the aggregation of things (pedestrians or vehicles) coming and going in a particular locality during a specified period of time

From this reading “After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.”

unoccupied adjective US /əˈnɑːkjəpaɪd/

not held or filled or in use

From this reading “Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.”

All words in this reading · 93

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 ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading This enclosure was already crowded with some three hundred people, sitting and standing.

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading This enclosure was already crowded with some three hundred people, sitting and standing.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

bandnounUS /bænd/

an unofficial association of people or groups

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

begunverbUS /bɪˈɡʌn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.

blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/

(of a surface) not written or printed on

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

ceilingnounUS /ˈsiːlɪŋ/

the overhead upper surface of a covered space

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

collarnounUS /ˈkɑːlər/

a band that fits around the neck and is usually folded over

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

comfortableadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbəl/

providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

continuallyadverbUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəli/

seemingly without interruption

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.

crowdedadjectiveUS /ˈkraʊdəd/

overfilled or compacted or concentrated

From this reading This enclosure was already crowded with some three hundred people, sitting and standing.

distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

EdwardnounUS /ˈedwərd/

King of England and Ireland in 1936; his marriage to Wallis Warfield Simpson created a constitutional crisis leading to his abdication (1894-1972)

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

enclosurenounUS /enˈkloʊʒər/

a structure consisting of an area that has been enclosed for some purpose

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

enteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

ENTRYnounUS /ˈentri/

an item inserted in a written record

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

expensiveadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspensɪv/

high in price or charging high prices

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

extinguishingnounUS /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃɪŋ/

the act of extinguishing; causing to stop burning

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.

forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/

at or to or toward the front

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

half-a-crown

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

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.

HenrynounUS /ˈhenri/

a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/

ten 10s

From this reading This enclosure was already crowded with some three hundred people, sitting and standing.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.

incredibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkredəbəl/

beyond belief or understanding

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

intervalnounUS /ˈɪntərvəl/

a definite length of time marked off by two instants

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

INTOprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

largeradjectiveUS /ˈlɑːrdʒər/

large or big relative to something else

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

minutesnounUS /ˈmɪnəts/

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

noisesnounUS /ˈnɔɪzɪz/

plural of “noise” — sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

OnceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.

paidadjectiveUS /peɪd/

marked by the reception of pay

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

peeredverbUS /pɪrd/

past form of “peer” — look searchingly

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading This enclosure was already crowded with some three hundred people, sitting and standing.

pillarnounUS /ˈpɪlər/

a fundamental principle or practice

From this reading Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.

playverbUS /pleɪ/

participate in games or sport

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

sharpadjectiveUS /ʃɑːrp/

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading This enclosure was already crowded with some three hundred people, sitting and standing.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading This enclosure was already crowded with some three hundred people, sitting and standing.

spotnounUS /spɑːt/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.

standingadjectiveUS /ˈstændɪŋ/

having a supporting base

From this reading This enclosure was already crowded with some three hundred people, sitting and standing.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.

streetnounUS /striːt/

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

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

THEATRICALadjectiveUS /θiˈætrɪkəl/

of or relating to the theater

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

thirtynounUS /ˈθɜːrdiː/

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading This enclosure was already crowded with some three hundred people, sitting and standing.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading This enclosure was already crowded with some three hundred people, sitting and standing.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

trafficnounUS /ˈtræfɪk/

the aggregation of things (pedestrians or vehicles) coming and going in a particular locality during a specified period of time

From this reading After a blank interval of thirty minutes a band had begun to play at an incredible distance in front of him, extinguishing the noises of traffic in the street.

turningnounUS /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

unoccupiedadjectiveUS /əˈnɑːkjəpaɪd/

not held or filled or in use

From this reading Edward Henry had stood in the only unoccupied spot he could find, behind a pillar.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

visitverbUS /ˈvɪzɪt/

go to see a place, as for entertainment

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading This enclosure was already crowded with some three hundred people, sitting and standing.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

windsnounUS /wɪndz/

plural of “wind” — air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading When he had made himself as comfortable as possible by turning up his collar against the sharp winds that continually entered from the street, he had peered forward, and seen in front of his enclosure another and larger enclosure also crowded with people, but more expensive people.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

WORLDnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD I Once, on a short visit to London, Edward Henry had paid half-a-crown to be let into a certain enclosure with a very low ceiling.

Chapter 4 of The Regent by Arnold Bennett holds 567 sentences, grouped into 114 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 Regent contain?

Chapter 4 holds 567 sentences of The Regent, unabridged, divided into 114 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Regent by Arnold Bennett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 567 sentences, grouped into 114 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 Regent?

Work through the 114 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 114 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 Regent

Common questions about reading The Regent by Arnold Bennett on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Regent?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Regent is used?

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

How long does The Regent take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Regent section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 0 chapters of The Regent 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 Regent

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

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of The Regent, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of The Regent, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of The Regent, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.