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The Shadow World
The Shadow World

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The Shadow World is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Just what does he mean by that?"
"I can't precisely explain.
It's harder to understand than the spirit hypothesis.
He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.
'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Shadow World

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The Shadow World is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Just what does he mean by that?"
/dʒʌst wʌt dʌz hiː miːn baɪ ðæt/
Line 2
"I can't precisely explain.
Line 3
It's harder to understand than the spirit hypothesis.
Line 4
He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.
/hiː hɪmˈself ədˈmɪts ðɪs ənd ɡoʊz ɑːn tuː seɪ ðæt waɪl hiː ɪz ˈsɜːrtən ðæt wiː ɑːr ɪn ðə ˈprezəns ʌv æn ənˈnoʊn fɔːrs hiː ɪz kənˈvɪnst ðæt ðə fəˈnɑːmənə wɪl ˈʌltəmətli biː faʊnd ˈɔːrdərli laɪk ɔːl ˈʌðər fækts ʌv ˈneɪtʃər/
Line 5
'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

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.

admits verb US /ədˈmɪts/

third-person singular of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

From this reading “He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.”

harder adverb US /ˈhɑːrdər/

comparative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor

From this reading “It's harder to understand than the spirit hypothesis.”

hypothesis noun US /haɪˈpɑːθəsəs/

a proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations

From this reading “It's harder to understand than the spirit hypothesis.”

imaginary adjective US /ˌɪˈmædʒəneri/

not based on fact; existing only in the imagination

From this reading “'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.”

orderly noun US /ˈɔːrdərli/

a soldier who serves as an attendant to a superior officer

From this reading “He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.”

phenomena noun US /fəˈnɑːmənə/

plural of “phenomenon” — any state or process known through the senses rather than by intuition or reasoning

From this reading “He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.”

research noun US /riˈsɜːrtʃ/

systematic investigation to establish facts

From this reading “'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.”

ultimately adverb US /ˈʌltəmətli/

as the end result of a succession or process

From this reading “He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.”

All words in this reading · 68

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.

admitsverbUS /ədˈmɪts/

third-person singular of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

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 He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading "Just what does he mean by that?"

can't

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

From this reading "I can't precisely explain.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

convincedadjectiveUS /kənˈvɪnst/

persuaded of; very sure

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

criticaladjectiveUS /ˈkrɪtɪkəl/

marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading "Just what does he mean by that?"

explainverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪn/

make plain and comprehensible

From this reading "I can't precisely explain.

factsnounUS /fækts/

plural of “fact” — a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

falseadjectiveUS /fɔːls/

not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

forcenounUS /fɔːrs/

a powerful effect or influence

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

goesnounUS /ɡoʊz/

plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

harderadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdər/

comparative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor

From this reading It's harder to understand than the spirit hypothesis.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "Just what does he mean by that?"

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

hypothesisnounUS /haɪˈpɑːθəsəs/

a proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations

From this reading It's harder to understand than the spirit hypothesis.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I can't precisely explain.

imaginaryadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmædʒəneri/

not based on fact; existing only in the imagination

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

It's

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

From this reading It's harder to understand than the spirit hypothesis.

JustadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading "Just what does he mean by that?"

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

meanverbUS /miːn/

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading "Just what does he mean by that?"

metapsychical

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

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

orderlynounUS /ˈɔːrdərli/

a soldier who serves as an attendant to a superior officer

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

phenomenanounUS /fəˈnɑːmənə/

plural of “phenomenon” — any state or process known through the senses rather than by intuition or reasoning

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

preciselyadverbUS /prɪˈsaɪsli/

indicating exactness or preciseness

From this reading "I can't precisely explain.

presencenounUS /ˈprezəns/

the state of being present; current existence

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

problemnounUS /ˈprɑːbləm/

a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

researchnounUS /riˈsɜːrtʃ/

systematic investigation to establish facts

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

scientificadjectiveUS /ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk/

of or relating to the practice of science

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

seemsverbUS /siːmz/

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

spiritnounUS /ˈspɪrət/

the vital principle or animating force within living things

From this reading It's harder to understand than the spirit hypothesis.

spiritismnoun

concern with things of the spirit

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

statenounUS /steɪt/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading It's harder to understand than the spirit hypothesis.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "Just what does he mean by that?"

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It's harder to understand than the spirit hypothesis.

ThereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It's harder to understand than the spirit hypothesis.

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

ultimatelyadverbUS /ˈʌltəmətli/

as the end result of a succession or process

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading It's harder to understand than the spirit hypothesis.

unknownadjectiveUS /ənˈnoʊn/

not known

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "Just what does he mean by that?"

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading 'Therefore, in the critical state of research, the scientific problem, it seems to me, is not whether spiritism be true or false, but whether metapsychical phenomena are real or imaginary.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading He himself admits this, and goes on to say that while he is certain that we are in the presence of an unknown force, he is convinced that the phenomena will ultimately be found orderly, like all other facts of nature.

Chapter 4 of The Shadow World by Hamlin Garland holds 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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 Shadow World contain?

Chapter 4 holds 409 sentences of The Shadow World, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Shadow World by Hamlin Garland exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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 Shadow World?

Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 82 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 Shadow World

Common questions about reading The Shadow World by Hamlin Garland on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Shadow World?

Yes. All 4051 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #22593 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Shadow World is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #22593, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Shadow World take to read?

About 337 minutes of reading across 811 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Shadow World section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 10 chapters of The Shadow World 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 Shadow World

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

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Shadow World; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Captain
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Shadow World; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Gray-horse
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Shadow World; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Troop
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Shadow World; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.